A Father Betrayed, A Son's Happiness
by ThreeSpot
Summary: An X Men Evolution, Ultimate Marvel Cross-over. Major Rietro in the beginning. After a mission to save Kurts daugther Talia and Professor Xavier's son David Rogue must deal with the newly aquired powers and psyche of Ms. Marvel.
1. Default Chapter

I'm taking a number of ideas from Exiles, the Ultimate Marvel Universe, and what I think would fit to write this. Since it all starts in the X Men Evolution Universe, and this category has the best reviewer's (pumps fist in the air) I think this was the best place for this story. If people like it and review (cough) review then I might spin it off into different stories. Enjoy!!!  
  
  
  
Set eight years after the events of "Under Lock and Key" the x men have fought a running battle with Magneto over the years, both sides never really losing or winning. In the time in between many things have changed, far too many to go into detail about in this moment. But here are a few key points.  
  
After an attempt by Magneto to harness and channel into him the energy given off by her powers Wanda was placed in a coma. Upon waking Wanda decided to leave the Brotherhood and join the X Men who had been taking care of her since the incident. During her stay at the Institute romance blossomed between Kurt and Wanda, which explains their rambunctious five year old daughter Talia Josephine Wagner.  
  
After the "Wanda's Powers" incident Magneto went into hiding of sorts since his henchmen Colossus, Gambit, and Pyro all deserted him. He hasn't been seen since, but rumors of his plans are now circulating in the mutant underground.  
  
Seeing the error of their ways Gambit and Colossus turned against Magneto and Joined the X Men as off and on members like Angel. Pyro defected to the Brotherhood in the hopes of finding a more lucrative employment.  
  
After Wanda awoke from her coma Pietro, who had been the key to his father's downfall, decided to leave his friends and sister for fear of Magneto seeking vengeance. Hitting the road he was surprised to meet Rogue a year later in a small town where she taught school children.  
  
Days after Pietro left town Rogue realized that she was no longer happy with her life as an X Man and decided to leave the team. Scott first begged and then ordered Rogue not to go, but to no avail. A falling out of sorts occurred between her and the team. She took up teaching in a small town where her power was easily hidden and was somewhat happy.  
  
Upon meeting the two struck an uneasy friendship that culminated into more when it was found that Pietro's limitless energy was able to sate her absorbing powers allowing them to touch. The two have lived together for the last 5 years with no involvement with worldwide events, such as the creation of the Ultimates.  
  
*Hopefully this isn't too much to follow, but I should be able to make all this work in the long run.  
  
  
  
Pietro walked into the bathroom with the paint can and brush, a determined look on his face and a silent mantra repeating in his head; Not this time, not this time, not this time..  
  
In a blur he painted the small bathroom with utmost care, not spilling a drop or missing an inch until the walls were transformed from eggshell white to what Rogue called "Buttermilk Yellow".  
  
More like corn on the cob yellow, if you ask me, Pietro thought to himself as he admired the walls before turning to admire himself in the mirror. And there it was. Three small, almost miniscule, drops of paint on the front of his t-shirt.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"What in sam fire?" Rogue asked herself as she removed the keys from the ignition and climbed out of her car. Walking up the driveway she pocketed the keys and looked up just in time to see a paint can fly out of the upstairs bathroom window. Summer salting in the air the can poured its contents at the perfect angle to completely drench Rogue in "Buttermilk Yellow".  
  
"OH NO!!!"  
  
Pietro said to himself as he ran down the stairs and onto the lawn as fast as he could after sticking his head out of the window to see where the paint fell.  
  
Rogue looked down at herself and looked up at Pietro as he ran up to her and began gibbering as fast as he could in the speed lingo only she could understand, "Rogue I am so sorry, I didn't look where the paint was going and I thought you were going to be home later so I painted the bathroom like you told me too. But look, I have paint on me too! That's why I threw it out the window!"  
  
Rogue stared at him blankly before raising her hand and saying, "Towel now."  
  
Pietro was back in a second and explaining once again about how he hated getting paint on his shirts and that he wished she wouldn't kill him since he was doing what she told him too. All this washed over Rogue as she toweled off and thought to herself, I should have expected this, its been a month since he tried to put a whole pineapple in the blender.  
  
As he ranted on and on and Rogue walked back to the hose all she could think of was the first time she had asked him to do something around the house.  
  
"GET OFF YOUR LAZY ASS AND DO SOMETHING!!!" Rogue had said, standing in the doorway with both hands on her hips and a scowl on her face.  
  
Pietro turned the t.v. off with the remote and sat up on the couch, "huh?" "When I said you could live here I didn't mean that I was gonna wait on you hand and foot, so why don't you fix something?"  
  
"But Rogue.."  
  
"Don't take that whiny voice with me," She had then thrown him a tool belt and pointed to the door to the basement, "To start why don't you fix that leak in the basement."  
  
He had risen and walked to the basement door, looking over his shoulder every few seconds to see if she was still standing there. Once he was downstairs Rogue began grading the spelling tests for her 3rd grade class, listening to the cacophony of sounds that emanated from beneath the table.  
  
GROAN  
  
SQUEAK  
  
SPLOOSH  
  
ZIIIINNNGGGG  
  
KKKKKKKAAAAAAAA-BOOOM  
  
What the hell could he be doing, Rogue thought as she walked down the stairs, Houses can't go Ka-boom.  
  
She had stood on the bottom landing, up to her ankles in water watching as Pietro's swam from one end of the basement to the other using a mask and snorkeling tube. Looking up he had seen her and yelled, "I AGGGNNOOSSSST ROOOOTTTT UUUUTTTT!!!"  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
Pulling the snorkel from his mouth, "I almost got it."  
  
That had been 2 years ago and nothing requiring the water company had happened since, thankfully he also seemed to have an inborn since that kept him from fixing anything electrical the "Pietro" way. But occasionally things like this would happen.  
  
Rogue finished washing the paint out of her hair and was surprised to find that Pietro was still talking; he usually shut up when she didn't reply to his questions. Placing a finger on her right hand on his still moving lips and catching the other in her left she said, "hush."  
  
His rant interrupted Pietro waited for her to say something, but all she did was hand him the towel and walk into the house. Your sleeping on a park bench tonight, Pietro thought to himself as he followed inside. Rogue made her way straight to the shower and pulled off her clothes. Thankfully today had been a dress down day at the school so only a pair of jeans, a sweater, and her tennis shoes were ruined. Feeling the water wash over her she wondered what she was going to say to him once she got out, she wasn't going to throw him out, though that had happened before. No, she would probably go into one of her rants that seemed to scare him to death and then wait for the next disaster to happen.  
  
In the living room Pietro paced back and forth, back and forth again and again deep in thought. The ringing of the doorbell interrupted his thought, something that did not bode well for whoever it was that had rung the bell.  
  
Opening it he found a short middle age man standing on his porch. The man, who had been peering at the yellow splotch on the lawn saw him and asked, "Are you Peter Jones?"  
  
Pietro rolled his eyes at the stupid name that Rogue and him lived under, "Yes."  
  
The mans first impression of Pietro was that of a man who was very sure of himself, not cocky, but a man who had become aware of the man he could be with age. With his silver hair, strong runners build, and piercing icy blue eyes Pietro was somewhat intimidating with his cold and superior air. The switch between a bumbling speedster and cool prizefighter was best when dealing with people he did not know or wanted to know.  
  
"I live next door and saw what happened with the paint, is there a problem?" the man quickly added, "I mean, its not everyday you see a paint can fly out a window."  
  
Pietro narrowed his eyes hoping the guy got the message, "Just a bit of a bathroom painting accident, were fine thank you."  
  
The man visibly quailed, "Okay, nice talking to you."  
  
As the man walked off Pietro shut the door and peered out the window after him, making sure he went back to his side of the lawn. No matter what it was always the same, Rouge was the friendly one while he was the standoffish asshole at the party. He knew for a fact that everyone in the neighborhood considered him a crabapple, hell, he encouraged it so he would have more privacy. Sometimes it was torture to have to mow the lawn or get the mail at normal speed since he never knew who was watching. But living with Rogue made that all worth it in a strange wa-.  
  
"Sh**!" Pietro said out loud, "What am I gonna do, what am I gonna do, what am I gonna do.."  
  
Rogue stepped out of the shower and toweled off before dressing in a torn pair of jeans and a t-shirt and warily walking downstairs. I wonder what he's up to now, She thought.  
  
Stepping into the kitchen she saw a blur in a cooking apron flying between the three tasks of cutting bread, boiling noodles, and cooking sauce. "Pietro?" she asked.  
  
He stopped right in front of her for a second, "One minute I'll be done cooking in just a little while, I made your favorite, Spaghetti! I know we had it the last time when I tried to make pineapple juice and ruined your blender, but that was a month ago, so I thought to myself why not have it again?"  
  
And back to cooking at the speed of light.  
  
Rogue shrugged figuring that he would feel better if he made dinner so she went to the living room and turned on the t.v. It was the usual boring sitcoms and local news, so she was flipping channels when the phone rang. "I got it!" she yelled to the kitchen.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello, Marie?"  
  
"Oh hi Ms. Parker!" Oh god, she thought.  
  
"Marie my husband just told me he saw Peter drop a bucket of paint on you. Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine Ms. Parker, the truth is he put it on the edge of the window sill while the paint dried in our bathroom and the thing tipped over right on top of me. Million to one chance really."  
  
"Yes.." Ms. Parker said not very convinced.  
  
"We were just at dinner laughing about it," That should get rid of her, Rogue thought.  
  
"All right, but you know if anything ever happens, I'm here for you." Why does that always sound like, If he tries to beat you run screaming to my house so we can scream together?  
  
"Thank you Ms. Parker." Rogue put the phone back on its receiver with a little slam.  
  
This wasn't the first time someone in the neighborhood had mistook Pietro's actions as abuse, and a nagging feeling told her that everyone thought that because he was a private person. Just because he preffered working around the house instead of a nine to five job like the other men in the neighborhood everyone thought there was something wrong with him. He had once looked for a job in town and returned that night saying, "none of them fit." What was wrong with that?  
  
Peering into the kitchen from her vantage point on the couch she saw the bewildered way he spun in a circle looking for the stirring spoon he had absently put in his pocket. He was the sweetest person she knew, and that fact that he was only sweet around her made it somehow "special."  
  
And abuse?  
  
He had never raised a hand to her, not once. The truth was the only time they had ever had a problem was when the tried to fix the leak in the basement. After the water company and team of 6 plumbers had left he had stood in the middle of the now empty basement scratching his head wondering what went wrong.  
  
Seeing the men out the door she had walked calmly down the stairs and yelled at him, "WHAT THE HELL DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?"  
  
"Rogue....I...."  
  
"WHAT? WHAT? YOU WHAT?" with that she had slapped him full across the face, whipping his head around.  
  
The look he had given her made her feel the shittiest in her life, nothing but pure pain and hurt showed in his eyes. The way he stepped back had driven the anger out of her instantly, "I'm sorry, Pietro. I'm so sorry!!!"  
  
Taking him in her arms she had held him as they both sat on the cold floor, the tears streaming down Rogues face and into his hair. They sat there for five minutes before Pietro noticed the short sleeve short she was wearing and that he was in a wife beater, "Uh Rogue?"  
  
"Huh?" she asked with a sniffle.  
  
"When did you learn to control your powers?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Our shirts..."  
  
"Oh my god!"  
  
After that they found, through trial and error, that he was the only one who could touch her without her powers kicking in. And no it hadn't been wild monkey love now that she could touch, she thought.  
  
Their relationship had grown from uneasy comrades into friendship, and from friendship into love, or the closest thing Rogue had ever felt to love. Not paternal love, or love of a friend, but love for a person and all their little quirks.  
  
As if picking up on her thoughts Pietro took a break from cooking to see what she was doing, and just watched her for a minute. The way she sat with her feet curled under her, the way she played with a lock of white on brown hair, the way she licked her lips....  
  
Shaking himself he got back to work cooking what he hoped would be the greatest meal in all creation cause if it wasn't, he was royally screwed.  
  
With the table set and food prepared Pietro walked casually into the living room and announced with all the bravado he could muster, "Dinner...is served."  
  
Playing along with the little skit Rogue rose silently and made her way to the table for two that was lit with candles, their flames flickering over the wine he had poured. The spaghetti was on two plates the sauce in between since he could never remember if she liked a little or a lot.  
  
After a silent dinner in which Pietro's normal heart rate of a resting five hundred beats per minute rose to his most strenuous three thousand per minute they sat sipping wine. Rogue set down her glass and opened her mouth but was interrupted by him, "Rogue I just want to say that today was an accident and I swear that I will never, ever, do anything like that again, I swear."  
  
"Piet-"  
  
"Rogue I swear that I wouldn't intentionally drop anything on you, now especially paint!"  
  
"Pietro-"  
  
"And I will do anything you want as long as you don't kick me out, please Rogue you know how the bums in the park freak me out-"  
  
"SHUT-UP!" Rogue yelled.  
  
Pietro stopped in min sentence.  
  
"You nut, I'm not going to throw you out!"  
  
"Really?!"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Thank you god, he thought as he sprawled in his chair and his heart slowed.  
  
"But there is one thing....." Rogue said biting her lip in imitation of thought.  
  
"What? I'll do anything!"  
  
"Maybe it's the wine, or the candles, but for some unexplainable reason, I have the overwhelming urge to kiss you."  
  
With a quick smile that was more like his normal self Pietro leaned forward and said before kissing her, "Anything for you."  
  
Later they lay in bed in each other's arms, listening to the cool rain falling on the roof of their house. Rogue's ear pressed to his chest she listened to the beat of his heart that was almost hummed, in perfect rhythm with the perfect rise and fall of his chest. Pietro gently stroked her hair, finding this moment, the moment in which both their souls seemed laid bare to each other, the best of the night. Both fell asleep gently at the same time, both dreaming of how perfect their life seemed to be in this little house.  
  
The next morning Rogue was up before the dawn as usual as Pietro lay in bed dozing. Wrapping her fuzzy pink bathrobe around herself Rogue looked at him and whispered, "I love you, ya nut."  
  
In the kitchen the coffee was already brewing thanks to a timer built by Pietro with the pieces of an old clock. Noticing nothing amiss in the living room as she passed it and collected the paper from the door before sipping her coffee. Entering the living room she noticed for the first time the figure that sat silently on the couch in front of her, a figure that was Pietro's kin.  
  
"PIETRO!!!!!!" She screamed as the figure rose and walked towards her.  
  
  
  
I know this seems like a really slow chapter, but its going to pick up and quick I might add. If you hadn't noticed this is going to be a real Rietro story, following both of them. I plan on posting another chapter at the PG- 13 rating before branching off into two separate storys in the R rating. Hopefully this will hook me some readers first.  
  
Next chapter; Who's the person related to Pietro? How will this affect Rogue and Pietro's perfect life? And why in the world did I mention the Ultimates?  
  
FIND OUT NEXT CHAPTER!!! 


	2. To choose between Happiness and Hope?

Hmm, not quite the outpour of reviewers that I was hoping for, but the ones that did are much appreciated. If you have no idea who the Ultimates are or what the Ultimate Marvel universe is don't worry, the Ultimate Marvel universe is all the old story's set today and the Ultimates are the revamped Avengers with a lineup of Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Giant Man, The Wasp, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and The Hulk.  
  
  
  
  
  
Pietro awoke with a start, the echo of Rogues scream still hanging in the air as he flew down the stairs and stood in between her and the strange figure. Clenching his fists and trying to ignore the fact he was in his underwear Pietro demanded of the intruder, "WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY HOUSE?"  
  
The hooded figure stopped and raised a hand to its cowl. Slowly pushing it back the shadow cast by it revealed a face much like Pietro's in facial structure. At first he did not recognize her because of her now long and uncolored brown hair, but at a second glance there was no mistaking his sister Wanda. She wore a pair of light gray pants with a black long sleeve shirt that seemed inconspicuous in this neighborhood.  
  
She smiled weakly, "Hello Pietro."  
  
Instead of relaxing after realizing it was his sister Pietro seemed to tense like a coiled spring, "You haven't answered my second question."  
  
Rogue, relieved that the intruder wasn't Magneto exclaimed, "God Wanda, you scared me half to death."  
  
Wanda shifted her level gaze from her brother to Rogue and seemed to really smile, "Sorry about that, I spent the night on the couch."  
  
"Well?" Pietro asked again.  
  
Rogue shoved him towards the kitchen, "Pietro, that's no way to treat your sister, especially if she came all the way from Westchester. Why don't you fix some breakfast while we talk?"  
  
Pietro seemed to weigh the option of staying or leaving before deciding that Rogue would probably get the information anyway, "Sure."  
  
Once he was gone Rogue gestured to the couch where they both sat down. Wanda looked around the house for a minute before asking, "You live here long?"  
  
Rogue smiled, "We've been her a couple years."  
  
Wanda seemed surprised, "I didn't know you two were living together? When Professor X found Pietro for me he didn't say anything about you."  
  
Rogue frowned, "Why were you looking for Pietro?"  
  
Wanda smiled quietly to herself, "I'm afraid that's classified. And please don't try to get it out of me, if my daughter couldn't get me to talk I'm sure you can't."  
  
It was Rogues turn to be surprised, "You have a daughter! That's great! Who's the uhh."  
  
"Father?"  
  
"Well, yeah."  
  
"Your brother."  
  
"KURT!" Rogue beamed at the idea of being an aunt even if it was only by adoption on her part into the family.  
  
Wanda seemed to come out of her own little shell at the mention of the blue devil, "We started dating after you two left, and as things eventually led, we had Talia."  
  
"Are you married?"  
  
Wanda shook her head, "No, Kurt proposed after he found out, but I told him that I wasn't going to marry him just because we were having a kid. Were taking it slow."  
  
Rogue began pressing Wanda for information on her niece, things like how old was she? What's her favorite color? Were they sure she was a mutant? Did she look more like her mom or her dad?  
  
Pietro poked his head in the door from around the corner where he had been listening since getting dressed, "Breakfast is ready."  
  
After a breakfast of eggs, toast, and bacon, they all sat around the table drinking orange juice with Pietro staring at Wanda, Wanda staring back, and finally Rogue wondering if they were ever going to talk.  
  
Finally Wanda broke the silence by rising from the table to dab her napkin at the side of her mouth, "Lets take a walk."  
  
Pietro watched her walk towards the door without looking back to see if he followed before rising himself and following. Placing a hand on Rogue's shoulder he gave a brief squeeze before running after her.  
  
Outside Wanda sat cross-legged on the hood of Rogue's car a cigarette dangling in between her fingers as smoke curled out of her mouth. Eyeing the cigarette Pietro leaned against the garage door and waited. Flicking the half smoked stick into the yard Wanda admonished, "Nasty habit, Kurts always trying to get me to quit, says its like kissing an ash tray."  
  
"Why are you here Wanda?"  
  
Wanda lay back on the car's windshield sighing, "No congratulations on the kid Pietro? When I first saw the house I figured you would have shacked up with a blonde bimbo and have a couple tykes running around yourself."  
  
"Congratulations on making teenage pregnancy a part of your life, but I doubt that's why you traveled all the way here to talk."  
  
"Too true Pietro, too true. You've been out of the loop for a long time now, so I figured I better be the one to give you the word; Magneto's back."  
  
Pietro shrugged nonchalantly, "He's always been kicking around, so what?"  
  
Wanda shook her head, "Maybe your not getting the big picture here, Magneto is back; as in everyone who looks can see signs of something big about to happen. As the prodigal son that kicked his ass to the curb I figure you would be a little nervous."  
  
"I beat him once."  
  
"Yeah, with the X men, Acolytes, and the Brotherhood backing you up."  
  
"So what you want me to do a little guest starring part in the soap opera that goes on in Bayville?"  
  
"No, the X men already have their hands full with the mutant criminals that seem to be popping up around the clock, that and looking for Mesmero. No this jobs going to most highly paid and underused government unit."  
  
Pietro cocked an eyebrow, "The President is going after Magneto?"  
  
"No you gibbering moron, the Ultimates are."  
  
"The Ultimates?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And that has what to do with me?"  
  
"Dr. McCoy recently came back from being on loan to them. He had the idea that since they were going after him anyway and were the ones he's most likely to go after, that we should help them."  
  
"I'm not joining the Ultimates Wanda, from what I've seen they just barely were able to take out the Hulk. Look what's happened with the Wasp and Giant Man, that doesn't inspire a lot of confidence to me."  
  
"They figured you would say that," reaching into her pocket Wanda pulled out a sheet of paper, "Look at this." Scanning the page Pietro threw it at his feet, "A WARRANT WANDA? A WARRANT?"  
  
Wanda sat passively letting his anger wash over her, "Why do you think I agreed to all this?"  
  
"So either I join the Ultimates or Lance, Todd and Fred go to prison?!"  
  
"It sucks I know, but ask yourself; what were they doing robbing that diamond depository anyway?"  
  
Waving his arms in the air Pietro screamed, "BECAUSE THERE MORONS!!!"  
  
Wanda shrugged as if to say, that was of no consequence, "They came to me first because they figured that you would listen to me," Wanda smiled mockingly, "Shows they did there homework huh?"  
  
Pietro closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, "So were a package deal?"  
  
"Both of us or the good ol boys go to prison."  
  
"Not much of a choice Wanda.."  
  
"Professor X agrees its blackmail, but there's nothing he can do."  
  
Pietro looked up at her, "What about Rogue? What happens when Magneto comes looking for her?"  
  
At this Wanda first showed a sign of being uncomfortable, "Kurt says she's welcome back at the Institute."  
  
"When did he become the team spokes person?"  
  
Wanda looked pissed now, "Ever since he became Scott's second in command. Now are you going to come with me or should I start mailing cigarettes to The Safe."  
  
"You mean that place actually exist, a prison for people with superpowers! I thought that was one of those mutant boogeyman tales."  
  
"Stop changing the subject Pietro. Yes or no?"  
  
Pietro looked towards the east where the sun was rising, why would he risk everything he had built here for himself with Rogue? Because there your friends or at least used to be, he thought to himself.  
  
"Fine, but only until we take down Magneto," Wanda looked pleased at this and jumped off the hood of the car. Grabbing her arm he turned her so she was looking him in the face, "But this time I'm going to make a clean job of it."  
  
Wanda smiled as the air seemed to spark around them, "Finally were on the same page."  
  
Pietro walked back into the house slowly, going over in his mind how he was going to tell Rogue and after years of not fighting he was right back in the fray. How do you tell someone that something like this?, he asked himself.  
  
"Pietro?" Rogue saw the look on his face and knew, in that moment, she knew that it was all starting again.  
  
"Rogue.....your not going to believe this...."  
  
Rogue sat and listened as he explain to her how his father was back and that if he didn't help them to stop him that his friends would go to prison. He looks like he's trying to convince himself, she thought.  
  
"Well?" Pietro looked at her expectantly.  
  
"Pietro," Rogue ran a hand through her hair, "I can't do this again, I'm sorry I just can't. Why don't you stay here?"  
  
"If I don't then-"  
  
Screw the Brotherhood, they shouldn't have been stealing in the first place. Why should we give up what we have for them?"  
  
Pietro shook his head and seemed to retract into himself giving her the cold treatment he gave everyone else, "If you can't understand, then there's no way I can explain it to you."  
  
Rogue stood up and grabbed his face, "Don't you dare lock me out Pietro! Don't you dare! I love you and you love me, why can't that be enough?"  
  
"For me it is. If your not here when all this is over, I'll understand. But Rogue, please don't leave me, I don't think I could take that."  
  
Turning her back on him now that he had made his decision Rogue walked up the stairs to their room, "Goodbye Pietro, I can't make any promises; how do I know you will come back?"  
  
Pietro wiped his eyes of the moisture that had formed and walked out the door with a final look at all that they had built together over the years. Seeing Wanda already behind the wheel of what he guessed was a rental car he got in.  
  
Wanda drove to the airport, occasionally sneaking glances at her brother. Parking the car Wanda removed the keys from the ignition and said to him, "I never thanked you for staying around until I came out of my coma."  
  
Pietro waited, but that seemed to be all that she was willing to say.  
  
On the flight to New York Pietro stared out the window at the countryside below as it passed by. Sipping a coke Wanda made her way to where he was sitting and sat next to him, "I think there is something I should tell you before we get there."  
  
"What now?" He sighed without turning from the window.  
  
"The guys are being held on the island, so if you want you can say hello to them before there released."  
  
"Why would I want to do that?"  
  
"I thought they were your friends?"  
  
"They were once."  
  
Wanda drained the coke and threw it at a garbage can that slid forward so the shot was perfect, "Then why are we doing this for them?"  
  
Pietro looked at her finally, "Because we were all each of us had, and I ran away."  
  
"I knew we were all close-"  
  
"No you were always on the outside, we were all there in the beginning. We had no idea of who we were, what we could do, and the only thing that kept us alive was having each other to lean on."  
  
"Then what's the problem? I'm not following you here."  
  
"I know what they've become, and I feel ashamed for them." With that he turned back to the window and stared out it.  
  
Wanda contemplated the man she had seen back at the house, a man that seemed at home and happy with a quaint looking house. Now he looked absolutely miserable in a million dollar jet, go figure.  
  
Later Wanda came to see if he wanted to eat something from the fridge and found him asleep, leaning straight back into the chair with his eyes closed. Pulling a blanket from an overhead bin she draped it across him before ruffling his hair, "Sleep tight bullet."  
  
The plane was descending when Pietro opened his eyes. Looking around for Wanda he found himself alone in the passenger compartment before the whole plane lurched in mid air and came to a stop. The walls slowly pealed back as lightning struck outside the plane while all he could do is watch. The wall ripped apart to reveal a figure in red dressed with the unmistakable helmet reaching out towards him whispering, "Pietro, Pietro."  
  
"AAAAAHHHHHHH" Pietro sat up with a start in his chair. Realizing it was dream he walked to the bathroom to splash water on his face.  
  
  
  
Back at there house Rogue hung up the phone after calling to tell the principal's secretary she was going to have to take a leave of absence. Folding clothes and putting them in her suitcase Rogue thought about what she was going to have to do, no matter how uncomfortable it would be.  
  
Closing and locking the door Rogue mused to herself that maybe one day the two of them would walk back through the door together. The house was sold 3 months later.  
  
  
  
At the Ultimates airfield the jet slowly rolled into a hangar that was occupied by a single figure in military uniform. As he walked down the steps following Wanda he realized where he had seen the man before; no mistaking the smile, the blonde hair, and the build.  
  
Stopping in front of the man who offered him his hand Pietro crossed his arms and said curtly, "A pleasure Captain America."  
  
Well that wraps up this chapter, look for the next one under an R rating. Though I haven't made up my mind up about that just as of yet.  
  
  
  
Next Chapter or story or whatever it is I write: Where is Rogue going? How will the Ultimates react to their new teammates? Will Pietro talk to the Brotherhood? 


	3. Meeting Friends Old and New

Captain America smiled that million-dollar smile, "Actually I prefer Steve when I'm not on duty. It's a pleasure to meet you Pietro Maximoff." Realizing that his proffered hand was not going to be taken he put both in his pockets of his jacket.  
  
A somewhat tense moment occurred in which Rogers expected to see suspicion in Pietro's eyes, who wouldn't be when they're being blackmailed? But no, instead there was just a cold knowing stare that said, "I already know, there's nothing really left to suspect."  
  
Pietro mentally examined and turned over Steve Rogers in a way one would an antique gun in mint condition, old or out of it's time but still very dangerous. The man was older than his father but still looked to be in his early thirties by the look of him, cudo's super soldier project of WW2. And that annoying smile, Pietro thought to himself, it makes you swear he's going to put his arm around you or slug you.  
  
Seeing that her luggage was taken to her room Wanda strolled over and nodded to Rogers before putting a hand on Pietro's arm, "Were here Cap, why don't we talk business."  
  
At this Rogers nodded gravely, "As we should, if you'll follow me this way."  
  
They followed him all right, followed him through winding stretches of hallways that rivaled some of the bases Magneto had inhabited for size and stature. They passed through rooms full of computers, armories, bunks for soldiers, a lab/stockade area, and finally the med bay before coming to the meeting room.  
  
The room had an expansive view of the bay, well shielded by large support pillars and glass that looked 2 feet thick. A long table dominated the room, covered with glass over a computer modeling system. Pietro saw all this and finally realized that this was big, yeah he had seen Xavier's mansion, but this screamed tax dollars.  
  
Each taking a seat Rogers sat at the head of the table with Wanda and Pietro flanking him on either side. Steve folded his hands together and set them on the table, "I would like to apologize for the way you've been recruited. I hoped you would volunteer but I didn't ask them to use your friends as bargaining chips."  
  
An apology and a rebuke at the same time, Pietro mused darkly, how passé Cap.  
  
"I did."  
  
Both Wanda and Pietro turned to see who had entered the room behind them. Fury stood munching his usual cigar with a frown, arms folded across his chest and leaning against the doorframe, "You two are going to be a big help eliminating your dad."  
  
Rogers beamed, "Fury!" Fury went on as if he hadn't heard him, "You realize that's what's going to happen right? No Capture, no negotiations, just hitting him till he goes down."  
  
Seeing how he watched for a reaction Wanda regarded him from under half lidded eyes, "I tried to kill my father when I was 16, I don't think there will be a problem."  
  
Pietro smirked.  
  
Fury, satisfied by this sat down next to them and smiled, "Welcome to my pet project kids, this is going to make what you do at Xavier's seem like tinker toys."  
  
Pietro shook his head, "At least at Xavier's we didn't have to MAKE our first job, and the spousal abuse is at a minimum. How is Banner anyway?"  
  
Fury tilted his head questioningly, "Who told you that?"  
  
Wanda rolled her eyes, already sick of her brothers little game, "Mr. Fury, Banner visited Professor Xavier's a number of times when Pietro was there. It would take little to link the New York incident with the Hulk to Banner, if you have the right insight."  
  
Fury shrugged and gestured back to Rogers, "Smart and willing to kill their father, we just might get along.eh Steve?"  
  
Rogers raised an eyebrow, "Quite. As I was saying, were glad to have you here all the same. Since your both cleared for level three information I might as well tell you; right know we have only 5 active members, only 2 of which are endowed with powers."  
  
Pietro struck the table with a flat hand, "I was right."  
  
Wanda looked at him, "Shut-up."  
  
Rogers picked up as if he hadn't been interrupted, "Only myself and Thor have powers which will be any help against Magneto. Officially Thor is not part of the team, but he still answers to any summons we give."  
  
"What about Iron Man?" Wanda asked.  
  
Fury snorted, "The names pretty self explanatory.iron suit.Magneto.you get the picture."  
  
Coming to his sisters defense Pietro retorted, "Thor will be use less as well, Storms tried frying him with no real effect."  
  
Rogers started cracking joints in his hand, "As I was saying."  
  
Fury came back with, "What would you suggest?" Pietro took a moment to think, drumming his fingers at lightning speed on the table. Closing his eyes Pietro told him, "Important thing to remember is that when he comes out he will want to be found, so we would have to be wary of any traps. Getting him somewhere away from cities would be a good idea, to much metal for him to use there."  
  
Rogers looked surprised, "We've had our best strategists working for two weeks and you just gave me the same answer after thinking a minute."  
  
Wanda coughed bringing the attention of the table off Pietro, "Where will we be living Mr. Rogers?"  
  
"Call me Steve, and just about anywhere in the city that you want. Make sure that you can get here in fifteen minutes or less."  
  
Pietro brightened for a second, "In that case I'm going home, call me when you have an emergency."  
  
Rogers finally seemed to have enough of Pietro's bad mood and rolled his eyes before putting a hand to his head, "Officer."  
  
A man in military uniform detached himself from the wall and appeared, "Sir."  
  
"Please escort these two to the visitors rooms," Turning back to the twins he told them, "if you need anything don't be afraid to ask."  
  
As they walked down the hall towards their rooms Pietro tapped his sister on the arm with the back of his hand, "Sent to bed without supper, what kind of welcome is that?"  
  
"Shut up Pietro! You're not making this easy for anyone else."  
  
"No one seems to want to make this easy for me."  
  
  
  
In the conference room Rogers and Fury sat playing checkers. Moving with the speed, wit, and tenacity of chess players both seemed engrossed in their game and conversation.  
  
Fury moved one of his black pieces while taking a sip from a can of logger, "I called Logan and asked about the kids."  
  
"What did he say?"  
  
"He said the girls clear, she's been working with them for the last couple of years. Says she's got a level head and follows orders to the letter. But her brother."  
  
"Pietro?"  
  
"Logan says the boys been out of the biz since stopping Magneto years ago, may have lost his edge. But that's not what's really worrying me."  
  
Rogers took a couple of Fury's black checkers with one of his red, "Your worried the kid might freeze up in action."  
  
"Hell no! What I'm worried about is whether he has his priorities straight. What if when he meets dear old daddy he decides that it was better being a species terrorist?"  
  
Rogers put a fist under his chin to think for a second before replying, "How about we send him on a test run of sorts? There is that group set up in New Jersey you wanted us to take out quietly."  
  
"Sounds good, just don't let them screw it up."  
  
The next day Rogers paged Wanda and Pietro to the conference room. Walking in and finding him in full red, white, and blue regalia both wondered what was up. Pietro looked him up and down before asking, "Halloween already?"  
  
Cap smiled, "Little mission for you two today, something we think you can cut your teeth on."  
  
Wanda sighed, "Cap your talking to a people who have the teeth of great whites."  
  
Picking up his shield off the table Cap gestured for them to follow, "Lets hope you have the same wit in combat Wanda."  
  
Pietro followed Cap while asking, "Combat?"  
  
Cap handed them a combat uniform each. They were both the same with a full body gray glove, the only difference being that the gauntlets and boots were different colors. Pietro's was white while Wanda's was red.  
  
Exiting the bathroom Wanda looked down at herself and thought, god if Kurt saw me in this he would have a fit.  
  
While Pietro was more worried about the back; why the hell do I always have the tight butt costumes?  
  
Cap seemed pleased, "Good, now you two look like real professionals."  
  
  
  
Flying in the helicopter Pietro stared out the window, pretending to be paying attention to the mission overview Cap was doing, but letting his mind wander. Rogue, he thought, how did it ever come to this?  
  
He could feel her somewhere south moving north towards him the usual grim and determined mindset. He had no idea why, but for some reason he was able to sense Rouge and her moods as long as they were a more than 2 miles from each other. Who knew, maybe it was love?  
  
At this Pietro smiled, earning a tap from Captain America, "Nice to see your paying attention Pietro."  
  
Pietro fixed the earphones on his head, "You go in through the top, me and Wanda hit them from the sides, what's to know?"  
  
Cap pointed a finger at him, "How about how the have stolen SHIELD laser weapons? Pay attention Pietro, I'm not going to let you screw this up."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Wanda saw the look he passed her way and spread her hands as if to say, "What can you do?"  
  
  
  
Miles to the south Rogue stared at the sign over the highway bridge, a kind of dread and hope mixing together to make her generally nervous. The sign was written on big white letters on a green background; Welcome to Bayville.  
  
"It's good to be home," Rogue said sarcastically to herself.  
  
Driving through town Rogue noticed that the town had gotten bigger since she had left. A new mall was being built in a large cleared field, a hospital was standing where the old Movieplex use to be, and then there was Xavier's Institute itself standing on the bluff next to the ocean all alone.  
  
Driving up to the gate Rogue expected the gate's to open automatically like they use to, instead they stayed shut while a small box appeared from the ground to say, "May I help you?"  
  
A little on edge to be spoken to by a robotic voice Rogue replied, "I'm here to see Professor Xavier."  
  
The box replied promptly, "Do you have an appointment?"  
  
"No I-"  
  
"I'm afraid you will have to acquire an appointment from our central office, good day."  
  
Rogue didn't move, expecting some kind of response from the silent box. Finally the box spoke, "please remove yourself from the premises."  
  
"Listen, I'm Rogue. I use to live here."  
  
"Name does not register under files, please leave in 30 seconds or the authorities will be called; 30, 29, 28, 27."  
  
Rogue popped the car into reverse, "Okay, okay! I'm going you stupid robot!"  
  
Parking her car around the corner Rogue got out and made her way to a spot in the wall she remembered. Leaping up she grabbed the wall and swung over to catch herself on a tree branch that hung low to the ground. Dusting her hands off Rogue sneered in the direction of the entrance gate, "Stupid robot, just like sneaking back in when I was a kid."  
  
This last part was punctuated by the sudden appearance of five hovering machines that began firing at her. Running towards the doors of the institute Rogue passed students lounging or playing on the lawn, amazed to see a woman being chased by the automated defenses. The door opened in front of her, and she leaped through to collide with whoever was walking out.  
  
"Rogue?"  
  
Rogue looked down to find that she had landed on a man with light brown hair and a puzzled expression on his face. Climbing to her feet Rogue peaked out the window to find the robots still hovering there.  
  
The man climbed up and looked to see what she was staring at, "Oh you set of the schools defense measure huh? Give me a second."  
  
Opening a small box near the door he punched in a code that promptly made the robots float back to wherever they had originated. Peaking his head out the door the man spoke to the kids on the lawn, "Its okay, nothing wrong."  
  
Rogue looked at the box and at the parlor, "I don't remember having that."  
  
"Well we've made a few changes to the place since you left, its been torn down three times," picking her up he twirled her around in the air, "Man Rogue, its so great to see you how come you don't visit anymore?"  
  
Rogue was at a loss for words, this guy seemed familiar for some reason that she couldn't quite put her finger on. "Ice cube, put the girl down would ya?"  
  
Looking up to see Logan walking in it finally struck Rogue who the man was, "BOBBY!"  
  
Putting him in her own bear hug she exclaimed, "I didn't recognize you! You've gotten so big since I saw you last."  
  
"No hug for me?" Logan asked.  
  
"Logan!" Rogue hugged him as well, "It's been too long since I saw you guys. What's with all the kids out on the lawn?  
  
Logan smiled, "this is a teaching institute Rogue. So what brings you here?"  
  
Rogue remembered why she was here bringing her back down to earth, "Its about Pietro."  
  
"Pietro!?" Both Logan and Bobby asked surprised.  
  
"Well, Yeah," Rogue pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, "You know what's happening with the Ultimates right?"  
  
"Yes," Logan replied warily as if expecting a surprise he wasn't going to like, "What's that got to do with you?"  
  
"Me and Pietro are.uh well we."  
  
Both Logan and Bobby waited.  
  
"Were living together." She blurted finally.  
  
Logan was surprised for a second, but Bobby was shocked.  
  
"Maximoff?! You're living with Maximoff! Did Mesmero or Mastermind get a hold of you?"  
  
Rogue frowned, "No, we've been living together for years now."  
  
Logan eyed her left hand, "Not married I see."  
  
Bobby put a hand to his sweating forehead, "THANK GOD!"  
  
"Hey!" Rogue yelled.  
  
Bobby blushed, "Sorry, its just..Maximoff, for goodness sake Rogue last time I saw that guy he was the most obnoxious, low down..and the glare your giving me means what?" Logan put a hand on her shoulder, "Come on Rogue, Bobby why don't you see that the kids get to class?"  
  
Leading her down the hallway to the Professor's study Logan asked, "So what's the story?"  
  
Sitting in the comfy leather chairs Rogue told him everything from her job teaching to how she could touch Pietro now. Logan listened quietly, occasionally asking a question or laughing when he heard about the accidents that occurred around the house. Finally she asked, "So why did ya'll seem so shocked?"  
  
Logan shrugged, "I don't know, just didn't seem like something that would happen is all."  
  
Rogue sank back in her chair.  
  
Logan put a hand on her shoulder, "Don't be that way, I'm happy for you. I really am, and listen, I'm going to do what I can for you with this whole Ultimates thing."  
  
"Actually that's why I came to see the Professor."  
  
"Well you just missed him because he left for Wasingto-" cocking his head Logan seemed to listen, "OH NO!"  
  
"What is it Logan?" Rogue asked running after him as he ran down the corridor to the front door.  
  
Slinging it open Logan and Rogue saw what was standing on the lawn and Rogue realized why Logan looked so afraid. Standing in front of them was a swirling vortex of energy that was holding Bobby's unconscious body in the air. Turning to them it roared, "WHERE IS HE?"  
  
"Logan," Rogue asked, "What is that thing?"  
  
Logan's claws appeared with a SNIKT, "That's Proteus, Chucks son."  
  
DUH, DUH, DUHHHH  
  
Next chapter; What will happen on Pietro's mission? Will Rogue and Logan be able to with stand the might of Proteus? And why was Bobby so worried by Rogue living with Pietro? 


	4. Rogue returns Home

Hmm, not so many reviews as last time, but hopefully I will be able to tempt you into voicing your opinion. I decided to do a longer version of Rogue's side of the story and then alternate with Pietro so hopefully you'll get more story. Enjoy!!!  
  
Logan walked down the stairs, looking from Proteus' hulking form that stood a good two feet taller than him, to Bobby who was held in its thrall. Holding his hands up in a calming gesture with his palms out he said, "Come on now, David. Put Bobby down."  
  
Proteus looked to the his right fist which was clenched around his prisoner, "WHERE"S MY DAD?!"  
  
"He's in Washington," Logan said in a firmer voice, "David. Put Bobby down, he's a teacher remember."  
  
Proteus dropped him to the lawn and turned towards the gate, "WHERE'S WASHINGTON!?"  
  
Logan ran around him, putting himself in between the gate and Proteus. Rogue slowly slunk down the steps to not attract Proteus attention and grabbed Bobby. Picking him up by his shirt she dragged him back to the steps and shook him lightly, "Bobby, are you okay?"  
  
Bobby lay limp in her hands. Turning back to the argument at hand Rogue saw that David was now standing in front of Logan who wasn't moving. Walking closer Rogue listened as Logan explained to Proteus, "Your dads only gone for a day alright? He said he was going to come back tomorrow afternoon."  
  
Proteus turned from light orange to deep purple, "BUT I WANT HIM NOW!"  
  
Logan put his hands on his hips, "More than you want to play Ski-ball?"  
  
"SKI-BALL?"  
  
"Remember, Bobby said he would take you to the arcade Saturday if you were good this week."  
  
Proteus seemed to scratch his head as if trying to remember something before taking on the air of a child pretending to understand, "YOUR RIGHT, HE DID."  
  
Logan pointed to Bobby on the steps, "Bobby may not want to go now that you hurt him."  
  
Proteus turned in the direction of Bobby and ducked his head, "I'M SORRY!"  
  
Logan nodded as if agreeing, "We all know you are thundercloud, now why don't you go back to your room and watch t.v."  
  
Proteus turned and walked out of sight behind some tree's leaving a speechless Rogue and a beaming Logan standing on the lawn. Rogue looked to where Proteus had disappeared and back to Logan, "Ski-Ball? Logan, what in the world just happened?"  
  
Logan kneeled down and picked a dandelion before putting it in his mouth, "David's prone to little rants like this when Chucks away. You just have to know how to handle the kid. Mention Ski-ball and he turns to butter."  
  
"Did you say Professor Xavier was his dad?"  
  
Logan looked at her a moment, "Sorry Rogue, I completely forgot that you've been gone. David was born when Chuck was married to Dr. Moira McTaggart, a scientist."  
  
Rogue followed him as he walked towards a box mounted on the brick wall with the first aid cross on it, "How old is he?"  
  
Logan removed a white case from the box, "About 14 or 15 I think."  
  
"He sounds more like one of the 5th graders I teach."  
  
At this Logan gave her a look, "Kids spent most of his life in labs Rogue, ain't his fault."  
  
Rogue nodded, "Sorry."  
  
Walking back to Bobby Logan pulled out a small smelling salt tablet and waved it under his nose. Bobby shot up yelling, "I swear I didn't do it!"  
  
Logan stood up and offered him a hand, "Get up frosty, you ain't hurt."  
  
Bobby rose and dusted himself off, "Geez, I tell the kids to get to class and then Proteus comes out of nowhere and clocks me!"  
  
Walking into the house and the kitchen Bobby seemed perfectly fine as he put an arm around Rogue and asked in a playful voice, "So what, besides living with the son of Magneto, have you been up to Rogue?"  
  
Rogue rolled her eyes and smiled, "I've been teaching snot nosed brats just like you!"  
  
Bobby pretended to be shocked and clasped his hands to his chest, "Me? A snot nosed brat? Surely you jest?"  
  
Rogue looked at him sideways before asking Logan, "When did he start talking like that?"  
  
Logan chuckled while he poured a cup of coffee for himself, "I heard Hank say the exact same thing yesterday with Bobby standing nearby, makes it sound original doesn't he?"  
  
Rogue nodded and sat down at the table as Bobby made a bowl of cereal and Logan read his paper. Taking her first real look at Bobby she noticed how he was taller than she remembered him, how he was exactly the same besides bangs that came down around his eyes like she remembered Scott's. Another thing she noticed was he had a small scar that ran down the side of his neck that was a little less tan than the rest of his skin.  
  
Bobby in turn admired Rogue from the corner of his eye, comparing her to the mental picture he had took the day she had hugged him good-bye. She still had the same lithe, muscular figure that she had in the old days, but she was shorter now. Her hair was the same if the stripe hadn't widened like he thought it did, dark red that brought to mind some foreign flower with a stripe of white as pure as the snow of the Himalayan's.  
  
Logan looks the same as he did when I left, Rogue thought as he put the paper down and asked her a question.  
  
"Pardon?" she said.  
  
Logan snapped his fingers in her face, "I said, why don't you stay here tonight? Chucks going to be back in the morning and Kurt would be glad to see you."  
  
"I forgot all about Kurt! Why didn't you call and tell me I had a niece?!"  
  
Logan shrugged, "We tried everything short of using Cerebro, figured you would show up in a year or two anyway."  
  
Bobby slurped some cereal down, "So Rogue, you decide to come back to the X mansion for good?"  
  
Rogue shook her head, "I'm here to talk to Professor Xavier and then I'm hunting Pietro down."  
  
Bobby frowned, "Why did he leave anyway?"  
  
Rogue scowled and looked out the window, "They said that if him and Wanda didn't help hunt down Magneto they'd throw Todd, Fred, and Lance in prison."  
  
Logan shook his head, "Heard about that, me and Chuck wanted to do something but Scott said they'd learn something from doing jail time."  
  
"Scott?"  
  
Bobby drained the bowl of cereal of milk, "Yeah, he's the one who caught them. Him and Jean."  
  
Rogue was shocked, "What? Why?"  
  
Logan put his paper down, "They were knocking over a diamond shop."  
  
"No not that," Rogue looked at Bobby, "Why did he say you should let them do jail time?"  
  
Logan looked at Bobby before saying to Rogue, "Look Rogue, a lot of stuff happened while you were gone-"  
  
"Why does everyone keep telling me that?"  
  
Bobby leaned back in his chair, "The Brotherhood's been up to some bad stuff lately; bombings, robbings, threatening human activist's, they've done it all."  
  
Sweet Fred? Dopey Toad, Lance? Well Lance I could believe but everyone else?, Rogue thought to herself.  
  
BAMF  
  
"All right Talia, all right! We'll have pop tarts for breakfast, but if you tell your mother she'll kill me."  
  
Rogue spun around to see a familiar blue figure perched on the counter with another lighter blue figure perched on his back. He was dressed in cargo pants, wife beater and a Hawaiian shirt that matched the little girl's green overalls exactly.  
  
"Kurt?"  
  
"Yeah Rogue? Do you want a pop tart to-?" Spinning around making the little girl on his back squeal with laughter Kurt looked at the woman sitting at the kitchen table.  
  
"ROGUE!!!!"  
  
Rogue jumped up as Kurt launched himself at her. Her arms pinned to her side Rogue looked into the curious face of the elfish girl who looked so much like her father and said, "Hi."  
  
"Hi," the little girl replied, "I'm Talia, are you the great and magnificent Rogue Daddy tells me stories about?"  
  
Rogue ducked out from under Kurt's bear hug, "Great and magnificent? Kurt what have you been telling her about me?"  
  
Kurt grinned sheepishly, "It's all true! She thinks I made you up."  
  
Rogue slowly turned in a circle before kneeling down to the Talia who had jumped down and asked her in a secretive voice, "Do I look made up?"  
  
Talia giggled, "No."  
  
Kurt picked up Talia in his arms who promptly slipped out and around to sit perched on his shoulder, "When did you get here?"  
  
"Just a minute ago, your haircut looks good."  
  
Kurt ran his hands through his now buzz cut hair, "You like? Wanda thought so too."  
  
Talia tapped on her father's ear to get his attention, "When's mommy coming home?"  
  
Rogue and Kurt shared a knowing glance before he replied, "When she's done with her secret business honey, why don't you go with Bobby to pick apples?"  
  
"Okay," Talia leapt from Kurt to Bobby's shoulder, "Lets go."  
  
Bobby looked at Kurt, "Apples? But we don't have any apple tr-OH!!! Yeah okay, I got you. Come on Talia those APPLES aren't going to pick themselves."  
  
"Tell me when they get back would you Logan?" Kurt asked.  
  
Logan sipped his coffee and nodded, "Sure."  
  
Leading Rogue into the courtyard of the dormitories Kurt gestured to them, "We've had to expand in the last 2 years, for a little while we had kids sleeping in the danger room at night."  
  
Rogue saw the students walking around the lawn and thought back on how she had once wandered the same lawn, "I remember when we were their age."  
  
Kurt nodded gravely, "Things were simpler then. I'm guessing you're here for the Pietro."  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"Wanda called me. I-"  
  
Rogue shook her head and took his hand with a smile, "Show me the campus first, I want to see everything you've done."  
  
Looking down at the gloved hand wrapped around his Kurt held it up and pressed the back of her hand to his cheek, "Its good to see you again Rogue, even if it is for just a little while."  
  
Rogue smiled at her brother and pulled him along down the path, "So where are classes held?"  
  
Kurt pointed to a gazebo that the floor of was descending into the earth, "Most of the classes are held underground, we found it was cheaper than buying more property and out of the public eye."  
  
Rogue looked at the students who all seemed well tanned and happy, "It isn't cramped down there?"  
  
Kurt shook his head, "We use holograms to project pictures of the out doors, they even change with the season."  
  
Walking along Rogue saw students of what appeared every race, country, and power talking or walking to class. The age range seemed to begin around 12 and topped off at 18, which seemed strange. Rogue guessed what seemed different and asked, "Where are the teachers?"  
  
At this Kurt smiled before yelling to a group, "Jacob! Could you come here a minute?"  
  
A young man with flames instead of hair ran over with a pile of books under his arm, "Yes Sir?"  
  
Kurt put a hand on Rogue shoulder, "could you please tell my guest what you do for 5th and 6th period?"  
  
Jacob nodded to Kurt and held up a book marked MOTORCYCLES, "I teach mechanics to sophomores."  
  
Kurt then asked as if making a point, "And where did you learn it?"  
  
Jacob shrugged, "When I was a sophomore, is she a new student?"  
  
Kurt looked at Rogue who elbowed him in the ribs. Kurt waved Jacob off before saying to Rogue, "It was Jean's idea. Since we didn't have enough mutants with a teaching degree she decided to use the student body. It's proven to be a very productive, the students learn and remember more than five weeks after their last exam."  
  
Rogue raised an eyebrow, "Jean decided?"  
  
Kurt stopped walking and faced her, "What? She's the principal of sorts here."  
  
"What about the Professor?"  
  
Kurt continued walking towards the bluff that over looked the ocean, "The Professor is busy enough in Washington or designing suits for mutants with dangerous powers or any number of things."  
  
"Oh, so Jean and Scott make the big decisions around here?"  
  
Kurt stopped and looked at the ocean for a second thinking about what he was about to say, "Rogue, that was a long time ago and things have changed a lot since then."  
  
Rogue wrapped her arms around herself and shut her eyes listening to the ocean roar much like the memories inside her, "Not for some people."  
  
Kurt opened his arms offering a hug, which Rogue accepted. Noticing that both of them were exactly the same height she giggled, "Forget that stuff, tell me about you and Wanda."  
  
At this Kurt seemed to shine, "We got together right after you left, and I think in a weird way you're the reason we got together."  
  
Rogue cocked an eyebrow as if to say, "Oh Really?"  
  
Kurt laughed, "When you left there was this empty spot in my life, I didn't have a brooding teenage sister with a power that could destroy me hanging around. So I found another, and it became something more over time."  
  
"Wanda lost a brother and you lost a sister, I guess it was meant to happen."  
  
Kurt got a far away look as if it was now his turn to remember something, "That and something else."  
  
Getting a hint that this was something important to her brother Rogue asked, "What?"  
  
"Did Pietro ever say anything about Tabby?"  
  
"Tabby as in Boom Boom?"  
  
Kurt rolled his eyes, "Is there any other?"  
  
Rogue cocked her head, "No."  
  
"Oh well," Kurt quickly changed the subject, "So you've been teaching?"  
  
"Yeah elementary school mostly," Rogue sat down on a rock, "I looked too young to be a high school teacher they told me."  
  
Perching on a tree branch at eye level with her Kurt stretched and yawned, "I had the same problem too for a little while there, one of the reasons I got my hair cut."  
  
Hearing a rustling in the bushes behind them Rogue rose and gestured to Kurt to follow. Entering the clearing they found Hank McCoy wandering around carrying a box with sensors poking out of them looking at the ground. Waiting till he wandered in their direction and stopped with the sensor right over Rogue's shoes Kurt said, "Dr. McCoy, What are you doing?"  
  
Hank McCoy looked up to find them standing their, "It appears there is a small energy leak in the classroom below which I'm trying to locate. That and getting out of cafeteria monitoring duty."  
  
When he went back to looking at the ground Kurt shrugged at Rogue before saying, "Hank, we have a visitor."  
  
Hank didn't look up, "I am quiet aware that Rogue is standing only a few feet away and I'm absolutely ecstatic, but I've been wandering around this clearing for 40 minutes now."  
  
Finding what he was looking for Hank stood and turned off the machine, "Its good to see you Rogue."  
  
"You too Dr. McCoy," Rogue replied as she noticed the slightly graying hair that extended from his temples.  
  
Hugging her in a way one would a very old acquaintance that is unsure of who you are Hank smiled, "It's been entirely too long my dear."  
  
Walking back with them to the Mansion Hank answered Rogues questions, many times going over Rogues head in the process. Rogue didn't mind she planned on having a very long talk with the good doctor anyway, and it was not going to be about the school.  
  
Back at the mansion Bobby and Talia sat on the pool deck eating apples and peanut butter. Seeing her aunt Talia leapt from her seat to bounce off a tree and right on Rogue's shoulder careful to not touch her skin, "Hi aunt Rogue."  
  
"Hi Talia, where did you get those apples?"  
  
Talia smiled and looked at Bobby who was holding a finger to his lips, "I'm not suppose to tell, but we went to the market."  
  
Rogue pretended to be shocked, "YOU DIDN'T!"  
  
Talia nodded her head proud of herself, "Uncle Bobby was walking with me through the woods and he said "Screw it, lets go to the Food King!" I'm not suppose to tell you that either."  
  
Rogue smiled and ruffled Talia's long individually braided hair, "You're a wild girl just like your aunt."  
  
Talia leaned close to Rogue and whispered in her ear, "Sometimes when I go to get a drink of water from the bathroom at night I hear daddy yelling that mommy is a wild girl in their room."  
  
Trying not to laugh but not able to keep from blushing Rogue asked Talia, "Where's Logan?"  
  
Talia pointed down, "He's teaching a karate class. Want to see me do it?"  
  
Dropping from her shoulder to the ground Talia took a fighting stance, "Logan says it's never to early to start."  
  
Kurt and Bobby walked back over and watched as Talia went through a series of kicks and punches. Bobby smiled and offered Rogue an apple, "Best produce I ever picked."  
  
Rogue took the apple and bit into it. Wiping juice off her chin Rogue tossed it back, "You're the King of Food, you know that Bobby?"  
  
Bobby blinked a couple of times before saying to Talia in a voice of fake contempt, "Turncoat."  
  
Talia beamed at him, "There are no sides, only points of view."  
  
All three grown-ups stared down at her. Kurt turned around and asked Hank who was putting the device back in its case, "Has she been sitting in on your Philosophy classes again?"  
  
Hank's eyes shifted back and forth as if caught in a lie, "Kurt how am I to keep track of all the students that are in my classes? Even if they do sit in the front row and answer more questions than the teenagers."  
  
After dinner that night Rogue took the lift in the mansion down to one of the sublevels. Finding her way surprisingly well Rogue entered the lab that had been marked "Dr. McCoy's". Finding the blue furred doctor sitting at a lab table looking into a microscope she took a seat in a swivel chair next to him and asked, "What'cha working on?"  
  
Hank turned the dial on the microscope, "A strain of bacteria in chickens that increases the speed in which the human body heals. I began researching it during my time with Ultimates."  
  
Spinning in the chair Rogue asked, "Why did you join the Ultimates?"  
  
"It was an exchange program of sorts. They needed an experienced research scientist since three of there's were, indisposed. I'm guessing you're here to talk about Wanda and Pietro."  
  
Rogue stopped spinning, "Yes."  
  
Hank leaned back in his chair and sighed before he rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I thought it was a good idea at the time. Unfortunately my plan went awry of sorts when they decided they wanted them with or without their consent."  
  
"Why didn't you come see us first?"  
  
Hank turned to her, "I didn't know they were black mailing them until Wanda came and told me. I swear Rogue, I had no idea."  
  
Rogue bit her lip.  
  
Hank rubbed his forehead, "If there is anything I can do I assure you that I will. Besides, the Ultimates are well prepared to handle Magneto."  
  
"Its not them fighting Magneto that I'm worried about Hank, its about after. And when did Magneto stop being our problem?"  
  
"The Ultimates need this Rogue, without it they are likely to lose their funding."  
  
"Wouldn't that be a shame." Rogue said rising and walking out of the lab.  
  
Hank shook his head in exasperation before slamming his fist down on the table, breaking vials and tubes.  
  
  
  
Upstairs in Talia's room across the hall from her parents Kurt was tucking his daughter in for the night. Fluffing her pillow Kurt asked, "Have fun today?"  
  
"Yeah," Talia yawned, "Aunt Rogue's fun. Is she staying for a little while?"  
  
Kurt smiled as he slipped the pillow behind her head and kissed her cheek, "Maybe princess, maybe. Good night."  
  
Kurt walked downstairs to find Rogue sitting in front of the television watching a thing on the Ultimates. Sitting down next to her Kurt watched it for a little while before asking, "Miss him don't you?"  
  
Rogue watched the t.v. for a second before answering, "Yeah. Do you miss Wanda?"  
  
"Yes, but I have Talia to keep me busy so its not that bad."  
  
Rogue turned the t.v. off and looked at her brother, "It wasn't so bad you know."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Being a normal person for a change."  
  
Using his tail Kurt poked Rogue, "Easy for you to say."  
  
Rogue threw a pillow at him which he deflected. Hugging another one to her chest Rogue confessed, "It was nice though. A good job, a man I love, and a little house we both live in."  
  
"So you do love him." Kurt didn't know why, but the idea seemed strange to him.  
  
Rogue thought for a second, "Yes I do."  
  
"Get some sleep Rogue, were picking up the Professor tomorrow." With that he teleported with a BAMF and was gone.  
  
  
  
The next day Rogue and Kurt drove to the airport to pick up Professor Xavier. Standing in front of the terminal Rogue wore her winter coat since it was crowded while Kurt wore his image-inducer and a black leather jacket with yellow X's on it. Eating popcorn from one box and spitting the kernels in the other Kurt watched the passengers disembark, "So did you ever miss it?"  
  
Looking around and trying not to bump into anybody Rogue replied, "Missions? No not really, it was hard enough getting the kids not to chase each other with scissors."  
  
Kurt continued eating a handful of popcorn in then spitting a couple of kernels out, "I tried that once. I went back to Germany and was bored to death."  
  
Rogue shrugged, "I guess all you need is love."  
  
Kurt grunted, "I wish. Ah here he comes."  
  
Rogue looked up expecting to see the Professor to come rolling towards them in his chair, but instead she saw something she couldn't believe. "No way!" Rogue said to herself.  
  
Professor Xavier walked up to them and smiled in greeting, "Rogue, how nice so see you. Kurt why didn't you tell me that she was visiting?"  
  
Kurt laughed, "I wanted to see who was more surprised, looks like she is."  
  
"Professor," Rogue stammered, "You're walking."  
  
Professor Xavier looked down at his Armani clad legs, "It seems to be the fashionable form of transportation these days Rogue."  
  
Walking to the car Professor Xavier explained to Rogue about some kind of secondary mutation that happened as he got older and how he was able to control his legs remotely. Amazed at this Rogue asked, "What was the first thing you did when you learned to walk again?"  
  
Professor Xavier thought for a second, "I believe it was when I danced with Jean at her wedding."  
  
"Scott and Jean are married?" Rogue leaned forward and asked Kurt who was driving.  
  
"Right now there are their honeymoon in Alaska," Kurt replied as he made a turn.  
  
Rogue sat back in her seat, "That's it, you guys are going to have to tell me everything that happened while I was away."  
  
Professor Xavier laughed and asked, "So what brings you back?"  
  
"It's about Pietro."  
  
"Pietro I thought he was involved with the Ultimates?"  
  
"That's the problem." Kurt interjected.  
  
Rogue nodded, "He's right, were living together and I don't appreciate them blackmailing him into joining their operation."  
  
Professor Xavier frowned, "Yes, I was disappointed with their methods myself. Especially since someone of my own staff came up with the idea. If I may ask why were you two living together?"  
  
Kurt looked in the rearview mirror at his sister, "He can touch her."  
  
Rogue looked at her brother shocked, while Professor Xavier seemed glad to hear this, "is this true Rogue?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Rogue this could be a major break through for you," Professor Xavier turned in his seat, "We might be able to find a way for you to touch without setting off your powers."  
  
"I'm all right Professor, I don't need too learn to control me powers. I just want to get Pietro back home."  
  
"Forgive me for saying so, but what makes you sure he wants to come home?"  
  
Rogue looked out of the window without answering. Kurt looked at the Professor and thought, bad question Professor.  
  
"I apologize Rogue. I'm just excited about you being able to touch. Seriously though I believe we could build on this."  
  
Rogue turned to answer before seeing a plume of black smoke that seemed to float over the Institute, "Professor!!!"  
  
Pulling into the turn around all three jumped out of the car and ran around back to where the smoke seemed to be originating. Finding Bobby fighting a blaze and Logan escorting the students away from the fire the Professor asked, "What happened?"  
  
Bobby turned and looked in disgust at the wave of destruction that came from the woods, "David decided to go to Washington to play Ski-ball and he took Talia with him."  
  
  
  
Next chapter: Pietro's first mission with the Ultimates! 


	5. Quicksilver's first mission

Great reviews of last chapter, but did anyone notice Rogue's feelings towards Scott and Jean?  
  
  
  
Pietro sat in the hovercopter watching as it hovered silently over the warehouse, Captain America leaping from the landing strut to the roof and rolling. Without a sound he unlimbered his shield from his back and crept silently towards the window.  
  
Looking down Cap saw shadowy figures moving inside, the glass was not quiet clear enough to tell who was doing what, but motion was obvious. Holding one hand in the air Cap made a circular motion three times.  
  
Pietro saw the go ahead signal, as did the hovercopter pilot. Wanda sat on the edge of her seat staring not into the night, but at a small picture of Kurt and a little girl in her hand. She folded the picture twice and held it in her fist, a fist that was soon surrounded by Pietro's two hands. Feeling the squeeze she looked up at him and saw him nod once. Nodding back they both dropped to the ground and headed towards separate sides of the building.  
  
Cap kneeled next to the window, slowly counting down from 100 as he waited for the other two to get into position. 67, 66, 65, 64, god I hope they don't screw this up, he thought.  
  
Where was I?, Slapping himself on the forehead he began counting again near what he hoped was the right number, 60, 59, 58..  
  
Wanda slunk around the side of the building careful to keep to the shadows and watch for any possible guards. Seeing two smoking a cigarette side by side and cradling their rifles Wanda pointed her hand palm out in the direction opposite the side she was suppose to go.  
  
CRASH  
  
"What was that?", One guard asked the other. Shrugging in reply he followed his friend to investigate.  
  
Easy as pie, Wanda thought as she stood near the window and waited.  
  
On the other side three guards lay gurgling as blood either pooled in their shattered throats or froze completely due to a snapped neck. Pietro looked at all three with a contempt he hadn't felt for another human being since his days of running with his father. He was no stranger to death; the blood on his hands was a mixture of reds, and even some colors that weren't normal.  
  
All men though, Pietro thought dragging the bodies out of sight, and somehow that made a difference.  
  
His father had taught him little, believing that experience was the best way to learn. Dropping Pietro in strange and dangerous situations bred little trust between father and son, but it had instilled in Pietro a sense of survival that had served him well.  
  
"Pietro, come here." His father had addressed him one day from the other side of the room sitting in his techno throne of sorts.  
  
Pietro had been monitoring communications in a small station at the moment, but he immediately rose and approached warily but speedily, "Yes sir."  
  
Magneto had placed a hand on his shoulder and turned him so that he could see the monitor his father had been intent on. On the screen a mutant with no flesh on his arms showing bare bones, but was still very much alive sat strapped in a chair with Sabertooth standing over him with a pipe.  
  
Pietro looked at this coolly, a sense of foreboding feeling his heart. His father had put a hand on his shoulder and asked, "What is a traitor Pietro?"  
  
Pietro had replied immediately still watching the screen, "A fool waiting to be killed, especially one that betrays us."  
  
At this his father had squeezed, grating the bones in Pietro's shoulder in a strange imitation of approval from which Pietro had not flinched, "When do you kill a man?"  
  
"Only when necessary, humans kill in fear, hate, or jealousy."  
  
Magneto had leaned closer with a rustling of cape until Pietro felt his father's breath on his other shoulder, and yet he still did not flinch, "This man is a traitor Pietro, he has taken money to tell others of my plans. Normally I would use this to my advantage, but not this time. Why?"  
  
With a voice frighteningly like his fathers Pietro replied, "Betrayal for a belief can be understood if not condoned, but betrayal for money shows a lack of conviction."  
  
Magneto leaned back in his chair, "You speak with ice in your heart, I approve. A leader must make decisions with the clearest mind, never tainted by anger, pain, or fear," reaching to the side of him Magneto pulled a small pistol and offered it to him, "Do your duty."  
  
Pietro had zipped down there with faster than he had ever run before, fueled by a bloodlust that seemed unholy and a sense of approval from his father which in his heart was even more damning. As he opened the door the man had looked up and flexed in his bonds, hoping to escape.  
  
"So he finally decided to give you your spurs eh?" Sabertooth had grinned maliciously and licked his lips, "Bout time."  
  
Pietro had walked to the man and grabbed his hair, wrenching his head back Pietro stared into eyes that held so much emotion; guilt, shame, anger, hatred, fear, and strangest of all betrayal.  
  
"Do it you son of a devil," the man had whispered vehemently, "You're just like him, so do it."  
  
Staring into those eyes he had seen his reflection; a reflection that needed only a red helmet to be complete. Shaking his head he had dropped the pistol to the ground earning a surprised grunt from Sabertooth and a sigh of relief from the man..  
  
"No I am not like him," he had said still holding the man by the hair he speaking slowly and carefully, "I am something far more terrible to be hold."  
  
Turning to Sabertooth he had extended a hand, "Give me that."  
  
Sabertooth had obediently handed him the pipe as if he was his father. Pietro had turned and asked, "Do you pray?"  
  
The man had begun crying and nodded, "I wish God would save me."  
  
Stepping back and digging his feet in Pietro aimed for his left knee, "lets make a deal."  
  
"Rea-, Really?"  
  
Pietro had nodded, "You can call for God, and if he shows up, I'll stop."  
  
  
  
Later that night Pietro washed the blood from his hands with a speed that seemed inhuman. Scrubbing frantically at the black liquid that had scabbed over his own hands he had felt his father and turned to him. His father seemed to dominate the spartan room as he reached out and grabbed Pietro's hands. Admiring them with the love one would a child he had looked Pietro in the eye and asked, "Why? What you did was almost cruel-, no was cruel. Why?"  
  
He had stared back at his father, "To help him repent."  
  
Magneto tilted his head, "Did he?"  
  
A look of almost religious fever took hold in his eyes, "With all his soul."  
  
His father had smiled then. It was not the cold clinical smile he was used to, but the smile of one damned by his own hand to another of the same ilk. Feeling the ties that bound them, both blood their own and that of other men, each felt that what he had wanted had been delivered at a great price. Pietro had gained a father in exchange for damnation; Magneto had assured his legacy by damning his own son.  
  
Magneto had turned from him to the door, but before leaving he said, "You have spilt blood. Know that by all the rules I have governed myself by, this is my greatest; never spill the blood of women or children. In this we may retain some small honor in what we do."  
  
And with that he was gone leaving Pietro to slide to the floor and listen to the two voices inside him scream; "Murderer! Murderer!" and "Daddddddddyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!"  
  
  
  
Remembering the task at hand Pietro ran from where he had piled the bodies to the side door of the warehouse. Listening to the sounds from inside he waited for the breaking of glass, rubbing the finger of one bloody gloved hand against the others.  
  
10,9, 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1, Cap thought as he rose took three steps back and leapt through the window.  
  
Men scrambled in all directions as he fell on top of a pile of crates raising his shield to deflect the rounds that came his way before wading into them. Swinging his shield in an arc he nailed terrorists scrambling for their guns noticing that so far he was totally alone.  
  
Wanda as if on command jumped through the window with her arms crossed, landing on her feet behind a defensive position taken by the men against Cap. Pointing her hands in each direction waves of energy flew scattering them like ants Aiming at a grenade at their feet Wanda sent her powers streaming to make the grenade blow. The explosion threw them in all directions at once, one of which was right on top of her.  
  
Cap lowered his shield in time to see Wanda get dog piled by a group of men and ran to her aid yelling at the top of his lungs, "WHERE ARE YOU QUICKSILVER?!"  
  
The dog pile disintegrated in a whirlwind as bodies were thrown 20 feet or better. Looking up Wanda saw her brother standing over her with a grim look on his face offering her his hand, "Well?"  
  
Wanda took it as he hauled her up, "I had it under control."  
  
"DUCK!!!"  
  
Both crouched as Cap flew through the air to skillfully deflect a rocket fired at them with his shield and prevent it from exploding. Scrambling behind some crates as beams of energy carved the ware house apart around them all three looked at the others. Pietro grabbed Cap's shield yelling, "COVER ME!"  
  
Running around the crates and straight at the men who stood behind a futuristic gun on a tripod he hurled the shield with far less accuracy but more speed that Cap. Seconds behind Cap appeared with pistols in each hand picking off the odd man that Pietro missed as Wanda covered his back. Seeing Cap and Wanda dive behind a pile of boxes under fire from the tripod gun's blasts. Throwing the shield through the air it cut straight through the gun and the man who manned it seconds after he had released. Picking up the shield he ran after the few survivors who were fleeing and threw again and again and again until no one was left standing.  
  
Cap and Wanda walked out from behind the boxes to survey the damage; the warehouse was destroyed, crates full of obvious weapons were spilled everywhere, and all the weapon hijackers were lying on the ground with no sign of life.  
  
Pietro straightened from where he stood after picking up the shield, turned to Cap, walked up to him and presented it, "I believe this satisfactory shows our skill."  
  
Looking around with the haunted eye of one who had seen many combat scenes Cap nodded absently before asking, "You're the people for the job. But tell one thing, truthfully, did you enjoy it?"  
  
Pietro threw back his head and laughed. The laugh seemed to well from deep inside him where there was no humor stored and echoed around them as if mocking the question. Pietro looked Cap in the eye, "I never regretted killing anyone, because I never kill without good reason. But this was duty."  
  
Cap nodded, pleased with the answer he offered his hand for the second time, "Welcome to the Ultimates."  
  
Pietro had taken it, not in the latest custom of palm to palm, but grasping Caps arm which Cap quickly mimicked. Something passed between them, like a demon who had been cast out of hell and an archangel on a quest meeting, something passed between them that was more than words.  
  
Wanda stared in horror at the man she saw before her, he was her brother, not this man who killed and killed and killed until there was nothing left. Taking a step towards him she reached out a shaking hand to him, "no."  
  
Cap looked at her, lost for words.  
  
Wanda stared in her brother's eyes as the happy man she saw days before seemed to struggle and squirm as he was attacked but what was done this night, "NO!"  
  
Pietro looked at her, the conflict inside him falling away, "What?"  
  
Wanda saw now that if she called her brother on what it was inside him he would deny it and renounce her. Left to fester with no one to fight for him the darkness would pass over him in the way that it had their father, something she would not let happen. Deciding to play it easy Wanda remarked, "Were here only until Magneto's gone, that's the only reason were on this team."  
  
Cap had nodded believing himself that that was what he had meant, "Of course."  
  
Pietro shook his head and smirked, a smirk that warmed Wanda's heart and endeared Pietro to Cap a little more, "Always arguing semantics Wanda, when are you going to learn?"  
  
Cap pulled a small comm. Unit from his belt and called back to base to inform Fury that the weapons had been found. Wanda and Pietro were looking at the weapons when the doors to the warehouse had slid open revealing two stunned guards. Pietro had turned to run for them, but Cap was that much closer and clubbed them with a skilled toss of his shield without removing the phone from his ear.  
  
Pietro turned and regarded wonder with question, "Those guards came from your side of the building."  
  
Wanda shrugged, "I never saw them."  
  
Pietro had mulled on this for a second before he shrugged back and returned to his inspection of the weaponry. Wanda had sighed inwardly and thanked her lucky stars; he never could call a girl he loves on a bluff.  
  
As if picking up on her thoughts Pietro swiveled and asked, "That picture you have."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Do you have anymore?"  
  
Wanda smiled as a flicker of hope for what her brother had made of himself was kindled, "I have albums."  
  
"Aw c**p, all I wanted was a picture. And not one with Wagner in it either, its bad enough thinking about you two."  
  
Wanda rolled her eyes and leaned against the wall, "Is it the idea of us, or is it the idea of US?!"  
  
Pietro gagged as the mental image flickered across his mind, "We are in a weapons store house Wanda, I would hate for someone to get hurt."  
  
"You would shoot me?"  
  
"That wouldn't remove the horrible visual from my mind."  
  
Jumping on his back in a fit of playfulness Wanda cried, "You always were melodramatic!"  
  
Pietro spun in a circle careful to hold her legs until she yelled, "IIIIIIIIIIMMMMMMMM GOOOOOOOONNNNNAAAAAAA PPPPPPUUUUUUUKKKKKKKEEEEEEEE!!!!!"  
  
Stopping he caught her as she swung around him with centrifugal force and held her up until her dizziness passed, "No I just make everything look good."  
  
Cap walked over and clapped a hand on each of their shoulders, "You kids are all I told Fury you were and more! What do you say we get out of here and get cleaned up?"  
  
"A shower sounds like a great idea," Wanda replied pushing a sweat soaked strand of hair behind her ear.  
  
Pietro looked down and saw the blood that was spattered on his suit, "Ditto."  
  
  
  
Returning to the compound Pietro and Wanda went to each of their rooms to shower while Cap did all the paper work and oversaw the returning of the weapons. Wanda took a quick shower hoping to catch Pietro before he sped off to who knows where.  
  
Knocking on his door Wanda called, "Pietro?"  
  
No one answered, but she could distinctly hear the sound of water running inside his room. Pushing the door open slightly Wanda called again, "Pietro?"  
  
"Wanda?"  
  
The sound of the voice was weak originating from the bathroom. Walking into his room she saw the bloody gauntlets laying on the floor on top of his shirt, the blood from all three soaking into the carpet. Pushing the bathroom door open Wanda found her brother kneeled in front of the sink as if at confession, scrubbing away at his hands and the blood on them with a scrub brush.  
  
He looked over his shoulder at her and blinked slowly, "The blood wont come off."  
  
Stepping closer Wanda saw that it wasn't the blood from the warehouse on his hand's, he had scrubbed the skin hard enough that they were no bleeding freely. Snagging a towel that hung on a hook she gathered his hands in it and leaned him against the wall, "I'll get a doctor."  
  
"NO!" he had grabbed her hand with his leaving a bloody hand print, "It'll hear overnight, it always does."  
  
Wanda kneeled down in front of him and asked as she caressed his cheek, "Pietro how many times have you done this?"  
  
He shrugged; the number was beyond remembering.  
  
She sat down and lay back against the wall as his head slowly fell until it rested in her lap and he asked, "Wanda, what's happening to me?"  
  
Your becoming a monster Pietro, the thought flitted through her head before she began stroking his hair, "Your just in battle shock, it happens every once in awhile to us all. Its normal, like breathing."  
  
He stared at the wall, "I'm afraid Wanda, I think I liked it."  
  
Wanda cried silently as she hugged her brother to her, crying for another life that had been ruined by their father.  
  
  
  
The next day his hands were better than ever, still that off white that they usually were if not a little red. He said nothing of their conversation they had, or why she had sat with him through the night holding him. Instead he stood up and yawned before asking, "You want some breakfast?"  
  
They ate in silence, Wanda eating her toast while Pietro had a sausage biscuit. A soldier approached their table and waited to be recognized while Wanda and Pietro waited for him to speak. An awful lot of waiting would have been involved if Wanda hadn't said, "Yes?"  
  
The soldier continued to stare over their head's, "The prisoners are to be released soon from cell block D, Captain Fury wants to know if you wish to see them."  
  
Expecting her brother to go back to breakfast she was surprised when he replied, "Yes I believe I will."  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
Pietro had looked at him even more surprised, "What's with the just saw the ghost look?"  
  
Wanda dropped her toast, "I thought you said you were ashamed of them?"  
  
Pietro leaned down and smiled sardonically as he put the toast back in her hand, "You didn't give up on me, why should I give up on them?"  
  
As he followed the soldier away Wanda asked herself, how are we going to get through this?  
  
Deep into the compound Pietro followed the soldier, taking trains lifts and even escalators they finally came to an air lock that said "Cell block D."  
  
Inside the room Pietro looked through the transparent electrical screen at his former associates and friends. Lance looked the same expect for what appeared to be a small goatee growing out of his chin, clad in the same old battle uniform he had worn years ago.  
  
Toad surprised him; it appeared that the young mutant had aged well. He now moved with a grace and skill that not even Pietro could muster as he paced the cell, muscles rippling under a black jumpsuit. His hair was now short and green, spiked up in the front to a point that was the same color of his eyes.  
  
Fred.was Fred. Nothing had changed about him. Though finding him reading a copy of DOS DIESQUE marked with the islands library label was surprising.  
  
Lance looked up and saw him first, "Well if it ain't the speed demon himself?!"  
  
Toad leapt to the edge of his screen, "What did they get you for? Last time I hear you had wandered off into the wild blue yonder."  
  
Fred put his book down and frowned, "He's not been caught you idiot's, do you see any hand cuffs? Or more importantly a restraining collar?"  
  
The others mulled this over as Pietro slowly looked from one to the other. Lance spat at the screen and watched it fizzle, "Then why are you here?"  
  
Fred threw his hands in the air in exasperation, "its pretty obvious-"  
  
"That if you don't shut your mouth I'm going to shut it for you. Well?"  
  
Toad's quizzical look change quickly to a snarl, "He's with them."  
  
Lance fell back against his bunk in a fit of laughter. Roaring he pointed at Pietro and yelled to the others, "You surprised? He never could stay on one side too long!"  
  
Toad quivered with anger, "You joined the other side huh? Kicking your father in the balls wasn't enough? You had to turn traitor to your whole race?"  
  
Fred shook his head, "Why Pietro?"  
  
Pietro continued to stare at them.  
  
Lance finally stopped laughing. Rising from his bunk he asked, "What's the matter? They finally get sick of your constant jabber so you gave up your tongue too?"  
  
Pietro hit the energy lock on all three cells, retracting the screens from the others path. Stepping out of their cells with the urgency of animals they arrayed themselves unknowingly to face him in combat stance. Pietro looked at each with something akin to regret and said, "I'm sorry."  
  
"What?" Lance asked.  
  
"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, after what happened with Tabby I left you all high and dry. I'm sorry."  
  
Fred was amazed at his gall, while Lance and Todd only seemed more inflamed. Finally Lance grabbed Pietro and slammed him against the wall, "YOUR SORRY!!! YOU THINK THAT WERE SUPPOSE TO FORGIVE YOU FOR WALKING OUT ON US?!! THE LAST YEARS HAVE BEEN HELL!!!"  
  
Pietro leaned his head down until both foreheads touched, "I know."  
  
Lance threw him away from him and towards the door. Pietro landed on his feet and faced them, "Just be glad that Magneto never got hold of you."  
  
Toad snarled, "Get out of our face traitor! You think we need you or want you around?"  
  
Fred looked at Pietro frankly, "There's been far too much wrong for you to make right."  
  
At this Pietro nodded and walked out the door, soldiers soon appeared to escort them out from the same door.  
  
Walking down the hall Pietro thought of what his life could have been if he had stayed with them. Maybe it would have been him in one of those cells with them? Who knew?  
  
"Maximoff to the meeting room." An overhead PA system declared.  
  
Pietro shook his head at the lousy timing and decided to take a nice slow elevator back to the surface while he collected his thoughts.  
  
  
  
"Where is he?" Fury asked, already chopping down on his cigar.  
  
"Wanda?" Rogers asked from his seat at the head of the table.  
  
Wanda looked up from where she had been studying her nails, "No idea chief."  
  
Fury sighed and sunk back in his chair, looking at his watch again and again as his scowl deepened with every glance. Finally Pietro walked through the door with an absent look on his face, "You called?"  
  
Fury swung the chair around, "Ten minutes ago! I thought your power was being fast."  
  
Cap ignored Fury as he stood and addressed the group arrayed around the table, some of which Pietro already recognized, "This is Pietro Maximoff, our latest recruit alongside Wanda his sister who I've already introduced you to."  
  
Gesturing to the man on his left he said, "This is Tony Stark, our Iron Man."  
  
Pietro looked at him and returned the nod given with one of his own.  
  
Cap pointed to a red head sitting to Tony Starks left, "This is Natasha Romanov or Black Widow."  
  
The red head didn't even look at him, instead she leaned over and whispered something in Starks ear.  
  
Moving along cap gestured to a man with even colder eyes than Pietro's, "Clint Brown who you may have seen in the Olympics, he works under the field name Hawkeye."  
  
Hawkeye look at Pietro for a second before shaking his head and looking back at Rogers and asking, "Can we get the meeting going or what?"  
  
Rogers frowned and motioned Pietro to his seat at the table next to his sister and the man on the other side of the seat, "All right. Please take your seat, I'm sure Thor will forgive my rudeness."  
  
Pietro took his seat across from Black Widow and looked to Fury who the meeting had been apparently handed over too.  
  
Fury took out his cigar and stuck it in an ash tray, "Alright people, here's the thing. Right now the team is down three members; we have both Jan and Bruce in med bay while Hank is cooling his heels in the stockade. This leaves us with only 7 active members."  
  
"6 to be exact, I have no idea why I'm here." Thor interjected.  
  
Fury rolled his eye, "I'm sure everyone here is quite aware that you aren't a member of our little troop, you've told just about every single newscaster in New York that. So if I may continue?"  
  
Thor smiled.  
  
Fury picked up his cigar and began chomping on it again, "The raid last night on the weapons store house was a paid off double. We got our weapons off the streets with no one the wiser and found out that they were destined for Magneto's little guerilla army."  
  
Black Widow leaned back and put her black boots on the table, "So where is he?"  
  
Fury continued as if not hearing her, "So far we have been unable to find his present location, but we believe that it is somewhere in the Arctic Circle. But we have a more pressing matter at hand; whoever sold us out to the weapons dealers may try to sell us out again. I want you four; Hawkeye, Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, and Quicksilver to find our mole, while Thor and Captain America search for Magneto."  
  
Hawkeye and Black Widow looked at each other for a moment before looking at the twins, neither was happy and the twins felt the same.  
  
"While were gone Tony will run matters and watch over the base, Pietro will be in charge of the investigation."  
  
"WHAT?" both Hawkeye and Black Widow yelled.  
  
Hawkeye stood up, "I cannot believe this! You're making the guy who's Magneto's son leader?"  
  
Black Widow flipped her hair back, "What makes you think he can handle this?"  
  
Rogers spoke up, "Pietro knows the most about Magneto's operations, besides he once worked security for the man."  
  
Pietro was speechless. Wanda was not.  
  
"What's the matter? You have a problem taking orders from a mutant?" Wanda said as energy crackled in between her fingers menacingly.  
  
Hawkeye shoved his chair back and walked towards the door saying over his shoulder, "No, just someone who was a terrorist."  
  
Black Widow glared at them both before following Hawkeye out of the room leaving the remaining members sitting in uncomfortable silence.  
  
Thor turned to Fury and asked, "Did I ever tell you what a wonderful operation I think you run? Seriously, nothing could be going smoother."  
  
Pietro smirked, "I like him."  
  
Fury shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Why are the smart mouths always the ones with super powers?!"  
  
  
  
Next episode: Rogue and the X men go after Proteus!!! 


	6. A Rogue Element

Rogue lay on the couch in Professor X's study, staring at the ceiling trying not to fidget just as she had years ago. Rogue shifted her legs in an attempt to get comfortable as she thought; you think he would have gotten a couch with out lumps in it.  
  
The couch was exactly the same, the couch where she had first confessed hearing voices to him, the couch where she had told the Professor she wanted to a teacher, the couch where she had told him that she was leaving the X men.  
  
"The couch does have some sentimental value to it," the Professor admitted from where he sat across from her in a Victorian style chair, one leg crossed over the other.  
  
The Professor was dressed as Kurt had been just the day before, black combat suit with a leather jacket over it that was dominated by the yellow X across its chest.  
  
Rogue smiled wearily, "Listening in Professor?"  
  
The Professor looked unfazed, "You were thinking out loud as they would say, Rogue."  
  
Rogue sighed and nodded, "Its just all of this."  
  
The Professor nodded both sagely and sympathetic, "It must have been quite a shock going from an elementary school teacher with a loving.companion too.this."  
  
Rogue shook her head as tears welled in her eyes. Dang it, Rogue thought as she tried to hold them in, I swore I wasn't going to cry.  
  
The Professor handed her a box of tissues, "There's nothing wrong with crying Rogue, it relieves stress and rids your body of unwanted chemicals."  
  
Rogue wiped her eyes before laughing, "You sound just like Dr. McCoy."  
  
He smiled again, "My apologies, I'm coming off more as a scientist than confidant. I'm sorry, but it's been years since I did this."  
  
"But I've always had a special interest in you Rogue." He added quickly added sensing her doubt, "The truth is I thought of you as my one great failure as a teacher; some nights I would stay up forever wracking my brain for ways to help you.but I'm babbling."  
  
Rogue was touched by his interest in her welfare, "Professor, you never failed me. You helped me to accept who and what I am."  
  
The Professor smiled, "Perhaps while your here we can work on that together, perhaps find a solution."  
  
At this Rogue bristled, "You mean during my incarceration?!"  
  
The Professor was untouched by her anger. Keeping a calm tone and a poker face he stated, "No Rogue incarcerated would be what would happen to you if you weren't in my custody."  
  
Rogue struck the couch lightly with her fist letting it drop from the air, some what surprised when it shuddered, "You seemed very quick to take me on."  
  
At this the Professor frowned in displeasure, "I do not agree with the decision yes, but I will be da**ed if one of my students will spend time in prison for doing what it right."  
  
Impressed that the Professor would curse she asked, "Is there anyway around SHIELDS injunction?"  
  
The Professor shook his head, "Not anyway I can see. Though I do have a young lawyer working on it secretly, I doubt he will find anything. "  
  
Rogue sighed, "What about Ms. Marve-I mean-What was her name? Carol Danvers?"  
  
"Still in a coma I'm afraid, the doctors doubt she will ever wake."  
  
Rogue raised a shaking hand to her temple, "I can feel her, in my head. She's confused and angry, but I don't think she knows what happened."  
  
The Professor nodded, he remembered the effects of Rogue's powers, "It should fade in time, as did all the others."  
  
Rogue looked uncomforted, "Yeah, but I got a lot stronger dose this time."  
  
The professor took her hand and held it, "It wasn't you fault Rogue, both Kurt and I thank you for doing it. If it was either of us in your place we would have leapt into action, you hesitated to think what was right. That showed an amazing amount of character."  
  
Rogue sat up and pulled her gloved hand from him, "There's a woman lying in a coma, probably for the rest of her life, and you're proud of me! She wasn't a 5 dollar drink to suck the juice out of, but that's what I did!"  
  
The professor shook his head and rose to walk behind his desk, "I'm not going to argue with you about this Rogue, your being punished for it, unjustly I might add. While you think this is your fault? Why? This is the life we choose for ourselves, everyone, and this is one of the consequences."  
  
Rogue shook her head and slumped her shoulders, "What am I going to do? No Pietro, no teaching, stuck here or in prison for 2 years, a mad woman in my head, and a former teacher that thinks I'm a hero for something anyone else would be appalled at."  
  
The professor looked out the window in his study to the driveway where a car had pulled up in the downpour, "Perhaps there is a way you can continue to teach."  
  
Rogue looked at him from in between strands of hair, "You're kidding."  
  
The Professor turned and smiled the same smile that Logan and Pietro had, he would brook no argument, "I believe that it would be a great opportunity for both the school and you."  
  
"What would I teach?!"  
  
The Professor waved a hand dismissively, "We can sort that out later. Perhaps you could sit in on classes that demand a teachers presence."  
  
Rogue stared at him dumbfounded, "All those years of college you put me through and you want me to be a sub?"  
  
The Professor rolled his eyes in a gesture that made his eyebrows climb his forehead, "That is one way to think of it."  
  
Rogue slapped her knees and rose, "What the hell, I don't have anything better to do."  
  
The professor nodded and began shuffling papers on his desk, "I'm glad you're here Rogue, we all are. Together I think we should be able to get a number of things done."  
  
Rogue smiled at his speech like tone, "Anyone ever tell you you're a snake oil salesmen Professor?"  
  
The professor paused without looking up from his papers, "Magnus, once."  
  
Rogue reached for the door but stopped when Professor Xavier held out a worn green journal, "In case you need it."  
  
Rogue took the Journal, turning it over in both hands before taking a moment to open it and marvel at the flowing script with which she had covered pages, "I thought I asked you to burn this?"  
  
The Professor shrugged, "You know how forgetful I am."  
  
Letting herself out of the room quietly with a slight click as the door shut Rogue decided to go and check in on Kurt and Talia.  
  
Walking towards Kurt's room Rogue passed the large staircase in the front of the mansion and noticed a rain soaked pair holding their luggage and dripping on the carpet. Stepping to the railing she opened her mouth to ask the question that was on the tip of her tongue when one pushed back the hood of her rain jacket revealing long red luscious hair.  
  
Backing up till she was out of sight of the staircase Rogue watched as Jean asked the other figure something and laughed. The other rain jacket clad man pushed his hood back as well, revealing the red tinged glasses Rogue knew so well.  
  
Turning away she continued in the direction of Kurt's room, with no intention of leaving her room one door down from his for a while.  
  
  
  
"God," Jean laughed again, "I thought it rained a lot in Alaska!"  
  
Scott slid out of the rain jacket with a grin before helping her take hers, "Does that mean you didn't enjoy your stay Ms. Jean Grey Summers?"  
  
Jean waited till he had put the coats in the coat closet before picking up her luggage and asking in a playful voice, "You just love hearing that name don't you?"  
  
Scott shrugged and pulled her too him as he wiggled his eyebrows above his glasses and whispered, "Almost as much as I like screaming it."  
  
"SCOTT!" Jean giggled, then giggled at the idea of giggling like a schoolgirl, "I'm the principal here, what if someone hears you?"  
  
He shrugged and released her before he picked up his own bags, "Considering how many times we've done it in your office close-OHH!"  
  
Jean raised a challenging eyebrow as he rubbed his butt, "There's more where that came from Scott."  
  
Scott only grinned in response, "Using your powers to help your argument? That's not very fair."  
  
"Were not playing fair Scott, were married."  
  
"Touché."  
  
"Is that the sound of a sparring married couple I hear, I knew the blissful honey moon would end all to quickly." Bobby grinned as he entered the front foyer.  
  
"Hey Bobby-Good god what happened to your face?" Jean asked.  
  
Bobby grinned and put a hand to the bandages that covered his bruises and scrapes, "Got thrown through Plexi-glass, what's your excuse?"  
  
Jean gaped, "Bobby!"  
  
Scott chuckled earning a look from Jean, "Careful Bobby, she's wicked bad with slapping offensive people on the rear."  
  
Bobby's eyes practically sparkled, "Really?! Well I could go for it, not too rough though."  
  
Jean shook her head and smiled, "Bobby I swear your never going to grow up. How is everybody?"  
  
Bobby smile faded, "you had better ask Logan, I've only got the outside details. He was awake during the mission."  
  
Scott looked up sharply. Instantly in leader mode he inquired, "What mission? I thought we were on stand down so The Ultimates would have something to clean up? Is anyone hurt? Where's Kurt?"  
  
Jean looked worried as well so Bobby made a calming breathing gesture with his arms, "Were fine. The reason we went on a mission was because it was David."  
  
"David?" "David?"  
  
Bobby put a hand to his forehead before yanking it away, "Ouch, talk to Logan okay? I'm suppose to be getting my bandages changed."  
  
  
  
Logan was sitting in front of the big screen television in the rec. room enjoying a can of brew while watching a hockey game. He had run the kids off to bed of course, didn't want them to think drinking was okay, course he liked to be alone so no one could hear him cheer.  
  
With his team up by 6 points, a brand new cold one from his cooler, and the first real buzz he could ever remember having, life was all in all good for the teams resident samurai. That is till they showed up.  
  
"Logan?"  
  
Crap, Logan thought as he turned to look over his shoulder find Scott and Jean poking their heads in from the doorway, "Yeah?"  
  
Scott and Jean strolled in looking like and smelling like a couple of lovesick kids. Scott leaned against the couch arm as Jean took a seat, both with the look on their faces that came with a major lecture.  
  
Figuring on beating them to the punch Logan spoke first, "If this is about a subscription to a."gentlemen's magazine" that's delivered every month, its Bobby's."  
  
Scott and Jean shared a confused look which Logan noticed with something that smacked of cunning, the truth was the magazine was his but they didn't need to know that, "What?"  
  
Scott coughed, "We heard you went on a mission."  
  
"You did," Cr*p, "Well cats out of the bag I guess."  
  
Jean shook her long red hair, "We just heard about it from Bobby. He said we should ask you about it."  
  
Logan picked up the remote from where it sat on his knee and turned off the TV. with a sigh, "All right."  
  
Logan told them the whole story. At the beginning when he told them the part about Rogue arriving and how she was still here they shared a look. Logan noticed it, but decided to continue with his story since that was what they wanted to know about.  
  
At the end Scott sat on the other end of the couch his eyebrows furrowed in thought. Jean sighed and cracked her neck before asking, "So David and Talia are fine, Rogue's here for at least two years, and there's a woman called Ms. Marvel in a coma. Did I cover it all?"  
  
Logan nodded and sipped from the cooling can in his hand, "Yep."  
  
"Scott?"  
  
Scott looked up at Jean and said in a voice between sarcasm and weariness, "Magneto I can handle, Sentinels I can handle, but why do I have to live in a constant soap opera?"  
  
  
  
Up stairs Rogue looked opened the door to Talia's room planning to look in on her, to her surprise she found Kurt sitting in a rocking chair next to her bed. He didn't looked up as she walked up behind him and whispered, "Kurt?"  
  
Kurt looked up at her pulling the blanket wrapped around him a little tighter, "Hey."  
  
Rogue sat down in a children's play chair next to the rocking chair, "How long have you been here?"  
  
He never took his eyes off her, "Since she fell asleep, I stood outside the door until then."  
  
Rogue took his hand and squeezed it, "Its okay Kurt, were all okay."  
  
Kurt sat there for a minute thinking unreadable thoughts before retorting, "For how long? Do you know how many times she's been kidnapped or threatened? I stopped counting after awhile."  
  
"What?"  
  
Kurt looked at her blankly, "The first day she was born Mystique stole her right from underneath our noses in the hospital. She posed as a nurse and walked right into the recovery room. When she was two she somehow snuck aboard the Blackbird hitching a ride to the Savage Land, and now this."  
  
Rogue couldn't think of anything to say.  
  
Kurt continued, "And those are the ones that come immediately to mind, want to know what me and Wanda were seriously contemplating? Sending her away so she wouldn't be a target."  
  
"Kurt.no."  
  
"Do you know what its like to know that your life is so dangerous that taking your child to the park is a security risk? Every hour of every day I have to know, know Rogue, that someone has an eye on her."  
  
"Kurt, do you think she would be safer somewhere away from you? She'd be safe, but what kind of life would that be? I grew up without knowing who my parents were, and it tore me up inside."  
  
Kurt shook his head, "Everyone's always looking at me as the carefree teacher, Hey there's Kurt without a care in the world!"  
  
Her brother rarely asked for sympathy, but Rogue wasn't going to let him dig himself a nice little depressive hole, "We have to look at you like that Kurt, because you make it all seem right somehow. You make it not so sad or scary to know that the next time we step out the door we may to die."  
  
Kurt ran his hands through his short hair which Rogue noticed for the first time that he did a lot lately, "Wasn't so bad with Wanda here, she always seemed to have a plan no matter what was happening."  
  
Rogue smiled, "Something about those Maximoff's."  
  
Kurt shook his head, "I will never understand why you're attracted to him, but who am I to judge?"  
  
Rogue rose and offered him a hand, "Come on Kurt, you have classes tomorrow."  
  
Kurt took it and leapt to his feet before doing a backwards somersault landing silently in the door way, "So you're really staying?"  
  
"For two years, the Professor wants me to teach."  
  
Kurt drummed his fingers together at the points and hunched his shoulders, "Excellent!"  
  
"When did you start watching the Simpson's?"  
  
  
  
The next day Rogue was unpacking her bag when a knock came at her door. Opening it she found Bobby standing there in a stained pair of sweat pants and a sleeveless T. Bobby looked none the worse for wear despite the bandages from where he leaned against the wall grinning, "Care for a work out?"  
  
Rogue cocked an eyebrow, "Bobby Drake."  
  
Bobby quickly backpedaled, "Whoa Rogue! The Professor wants me to help you figure out how strong you are, that and some other stuff."  
  
Rogue shrugged, she could do with the exercise, "Why not?"  
  
Bobby stood in the doorway waiting, waiting still when she shut the door in his face. Leaning against the wall he sighed, "Well, it's a start I guess."  
  
Opening the door Rogue stepped out in a pair of wind pants she had picked up subbing a gym class once and a short sleeve under armor shirt that fit perfectly, as Bobby noticed.  
  
Leading her down below ground Bobby flicked on the lights in the small gym. Recently added to the Institute it had all the major work out equipment of a pro football team camp. Bobby walked over to a weight bench bar and began sliding plates on, "Care to GRUNT help me GRUNT out here?"  
  
Rogue shook her head, "I think you've got it."  
  
Standing back both looked at the bar covered with plates, three on each side to be exact. Bobby patted the bench as he took a spotters position behind the bench, "Lets go."  
  
Rogue laid down and asked, "How much is this?"  
  
"Three hundred and fifteen pounds."  
  
Squaring her hands Rogue took a deep breath and lifted. The bar rose without a wobble and hung there in her palms. Looking up at Bobby she asked with no strain, "How many reps?"  
  
"Uhh, fifteen."  
  
Rogue repped it out easily, lifting the bar up and down up and down with barely a pause in between. Dusting her hands off she shrugged, "Nothin really."  
  
Bobby looked at the weight bench mentally astounded Rogue could out rep him by 4 reps, "There is one thing."  
  
"What?"  
  
Bobby jerked his head at a closed black door, "We've got some heavier stuff in there, want to try?"  
  
Rogue followed him into the room expecting to find larger weights, instead the room looked like a forest. Hydraulic presses rose up into the ceiling from squat racks and weight benches, each one going from the size of Rogue's head to wider than she could get her arms around. "Why all this?"  
  
Bobby pointed to one that sight oddly right in the middle of the room, "The first one was Poitr's. Professor X added these after we enrolled more than five mutants with super strength. Care to test your luck?"  
  
Watching as he dialed in up to 3 tons Rogue lay underneath the bar that extended from the sides of the presses like the safety rails on roller coasters. Feeling the bars grip she asked, "This thing wont crush me will it?"  
  
Bobby shook his head and stood to the side, "Bar wont come any lower than that. If its too heavy just tell me and I'll lower the pressure."  
  
Rogue pressed, feeling the bar push upwards against immense pressure until her arms were fully extended. Letting it down slowly Rogue felt it continue to press down until it came to rest an inch from her chest. Rogue looked at Bobby, "That's heavier."  
  
"Good, 3 sets of 15."  
  
"Sh*t."  
  
Pushing the bar up and down Rogue felt the weight gradually grow as it rose up to 15 tons. Rogue felt better, she hadn't worked out in a long time and it was nice to work out some pent up feelings that with her new strength would have left any punching bag in pieces.  
  
Like any good spotter Bobby was watching to make sure that Rogue was working hard and wasn't in trouble, watching her chest rise and fall that is. Its strangely hypnotizing, Bobby thought, like a lava lamp.  
  
Rogue finished her sets and pushed a large button on the bar, the machine immediately eased off its pressure, "Whoa haven't worked that hard in awhile. What next?"  
  
Bobby mentally shook himself hoping Rogue wouldn't notice where his attention had been focused, "Ms. Marvel could fly right? Well the Professor thinks that you should have that power as well."  
  
"I don't think.I can fly."  
  
"Well if you don't think I could help you the only other person at the Institute who would know about flying is Jean." Bobby suggested sincerely.  
  
At this Rogue stood up, "No I'm sure you can help! Where should we try?"  
  
"Danger room? We got some wicked upgrades while you were gone."  
  
"Sounds great. Lets walk and talk."  
  
Walking through the tunnels Rogue noticed how quite it was down here, "So tell me everything that's happened while I was gone! When I left the place was crawling with people."  
  
"Rogue it hasn't exactly become a ghost town."  
  
"You know what I mean," Rogue said with a good natured shove, "Where's Evan, Jamie, Kitty?"  
  
"Hmm," Bobby stroked his chin, "Right now Kitty and Piotr are somewhere in Russia handling the Mob which is now run by Omega Red an old enemy of Wolverine."  
  
"Are they together?"  
  
"Practically attached at the hip," Bobby laughed, "Evan and Jamie are in Africa right now helping the peace core. You're not going to believe what's happened with Evan!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"you know that hip new skateboarder named Spyke Gee?"  
  
Rogue stopped at stared at him, "NO WAY!!!"  
  
Bobby smiled with a wicked look in his eyes, "Oh yeah."  
  
"But he's gay!!!"  
  
"So's Evan, or that's how I understand it. Wolverine thinks it's to improve his outsider image, but I think he can't handle having a gay protégé."  
  
"What are they doing in Africa?"  
  
"Evans part of some mutant back to Africa movement or something, while Jamie has turned out to be a one man army. The Professor lent him to the U.N. to help out with some kind of famine that they don't have enough labor to fix."  
  
"Storm?"  
  
"Our representation in Washington, she's turned out to be a regular ambassador."  
  
"Rahne?"  
  
"Went back to Muir island with Dr. Mctaggart, and Cannonball went with her."  
  
"Ray?"  
  
"He's some where in South America right now trying to get a lead on the Q men."  
  
"Q Men? Weren't they a bunch of former surgeons who transplanted the mutant organs from people into themselves? I thought they were arrested years ago?"  
  
"Most, but the business has picked up down south."  
  
"Amara?"  
  
At this Bobby stopped and looked at her with a wounded look that quickly disappeared, "She died."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Mission gone bad, figure it would happen eventually in our line of work. Ah, here we are."  
  
Bobby punched in a code opening the round door in front of them, "The latest in holographic technology."  
  
Rogue wanted to know more about Amara, but she decided to let it drop, "Looks cool, smaller than I remember it being."  
  
"We had to downsize, now Merry Poppins start flying."  
  
Rogue looked at him, "Any suggestions; happy thoughts? fairy dust? What?"  
  
Bobby shrugged and stood back.  
  
Rogue was staring at the ground when a voice yelled inside her head, Just jump.  
  
Rogue was used to hearing voices in her head, so she didn't immediately freak at the sound, Marvel?  
  
"Rogue, you okay?", Bobby asked worried.  
  
Rogue looked at him and smiled which did a lot more than reassure him, "I'm fine, just collectin my thoughts."  
  
Thinking to herself she asked, Can you hear me?  
  
Yes I can unfortunately, you stupid b*tch you put me in a coma!  
  
Cr*p, look the last thing I need is a p*ssed off psyche sharing my head. Now what were you saying about flying?  
  
Rogue felt the irritation of the other woman shine through the thin almost transparent veil that separated their thoughts, Just jump.  
  
Won't I fall down?  
  
Not if you believe. When I say believe I mean you have to full out jump, you can't try to catch yourself.  
  
Okay. Rogue sighed looking at Bobby she said, "Here I go, tell me how high I get."  
  
Turning to the rest of the danger room she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and jumped with all her might stretched out.  
  
WHAMM!  
  
You stupid b*tch!, Carol laughed inside her head giving the impression that is she could she would be rolling in the aisles, Did you really think I was going to teach YOU to fly?!  
  
Rogue lay on the floor, practically drowning in her own misery as Bobby kneeled next to her and asked, "I'm guessing that didn't work as planned."  
  
"Bobby," Rogue lifted her hand and a specific digit, "I think this states how I feel."  
  
  
  
Later than night Rogue lay in bed in her pajamas a journal open in her lap, spinning the pen in her hand on over and under in a nervous habit she had learned from Pietro she thought. Not quite sure what to write Rogue began scribbling random things down in it, occasionally going back to scratch something out until she seemed satisfied with what was written, finally she put the journal down on the bureau next to her before clicking off the over head light and laying down.  
  
In the dark with all the lights out and nothing to distract her Rogue felt for Pietro, sensing him to the North. Rogue wondered what he was doing. The little ball in the back of her head that was Pietro wasn't always reachable, it seemed to only be there during moments of strong emotion, like now that she could feel his thoughts. Rogue wasn't sure what she was feeling, but it wasn't good, like water it was slowly freezing on the surface going deeper and deeper.  
  
Rogue shut her eyes and prayed to herself, "Please dear god don't let me be to late."  
  
  
  
Taken from the Journal of Rogue:  
  
Dear Journal  
  
Been a long time huh? Looking at the last entry it's been a couple of years since I wrote in here last, I'm glad the Professor didn't destroy like I asked him too. I guess he gave it to me so that I could right down how I'm feeling and reflect on it, so here's some reflecting I guess. It all really started when I went with Bobby, Kurt, and Logan to find David and Talia. I have no idea why I went with them, maybe it was the way that Kurt was freaking out, or I was worried about Talia, I don't know. Anyway we found them in a small town about 12 miles through the woods, the town was absolutely trashed but no one was hurt thank god. David was bouncing a ball in the middle of the street with Talia standing nearby watching him when we found them. It seemed like the end of it, Kurt had Talia and Logan was talking to David when out of nowhere came Ms. Marvel. I don't know why she was there, bad luck I guess, on both sides. David instantly freaked out tossing Bobby 20 feet through a plate glass window of a shoe shop and Logan straight over my head where he struck a telephone pole. Bobby's fine now, though he's acting kind of weird for some reason and Logan got right back up but not in time to do anything. Ms. Marvel said something about us being mutant terrorists and looked like she was going to go after David. Jumping on her back I wrapped by arms around her neck to try and hold her back for all the good it did me. Instead of holding her down she flew up into the air pulling at my arms tearing the sleeves off my shirt. I could feel my power sucking her energy and I tried to let go, but I was so scared I would fall! We were twenty feet up in the air over concrete and all of a sudden she went limp in my arms and that's when we fell. She landed on top of me so she wasn't hurt, but I was sure that I was paralyzed or something. Instead I left a crater in the road with not a single scratch on me. Logan pulled her off me and tried wake her up, but she was already in a coma. The doctors say its not likely she will ever wake up, and everybody says it isn't me fault. Everybody but SHIELD that is. After Logan pulled Bobby out of the shoe store a caravan of vans appeared out of nowhere to secure the area. When they found out why Ms. Marvel was in a coma whey took me into custody, I guess she was with them or something. Professor Xavier cleared it up as best he could, but SHIELD took the opportunity to get me off their backs by putting me in his care for two years. So now I'm here at the Institute for the next two years, with Scott and Jean, by the way. I don't know what I'm going to do about them, but I know I'm not going to give up on Pietro. They don't know what he did when he was with his father all those years, that don't know what he did and what doing there dirty work will do to him.  
  
Your tormented soul, Rogue 


End file.
